LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Media Briefing

Norman Baker: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2006, Official Report, column 771W, whether paragraph 7.1 prohibits the issuing of embargoed statements to media outlets; and what rules govern the issuing of embargoed statements to the media.

Geoff Hoon: There is no reference in paragraph 7.1 which prohibits the release of material under embargo. It has been the practice of successive Governments to release specific reports and other documents under timed embargo to assist the media in their coverage.
	There are no specific rules governing the issue of embargoed statements to the media, but Departments and their press offices are made aware of the need to observe the importance of Parliament being informed in the first instance.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Leader of the House what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by the Department in each of the last five years.

Nigel Griffiths: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 April 2006, Official Report, column 1226W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Transport.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Air Quality

Andrew Robathan: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps are taken to enforce the air quality management areas regulations inside the House of Commons precincts; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Westminster city council has declared an air quality management area which covers the whole borough. It has produced an air quality action plan which sets out the main measures that Westminster will implement in working towards meeting the objectives. In order to reduce emissions, steps are also being taken to remind those responsible for vehicles using the estate on a regular basis that engines should be turned off when stationary.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Anthrax (Wales)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterpart in Wales on the incidence of anthrax; and what measures she has taken to prevent spread of the disease to England.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales has responsibility for the control of the incidence of anthrax in Wales and she is working closely with the Chief Veterinary Officer (UK). Officials in the Department have been in close, direct daily contact with their counterparts in the Welsh Assembly Government. Since the outbreak was confirmed on 22 April, the CVO Wales has convened three telephone conferences, involving partner organisations including representatives from the Environment Agency, relevant local authority, public health officials and the State Veterinary Service who have advised on environmental sampling, public health protection and animal health aspects accordingly.
	A movement restriction was placed on the affected premises on 19 April 2006 and will continue until it is considered safe for it to be lifted. Investigations are continuing.

Avian Influenza

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place for the inoculation of the population in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza in Britain.

Ben Bradshaw: The vaccination of poultry offers potential benefits in disease control, but currently available vaccines are too limited to provide a general solution. Crucially, although these vaccines protect against disease, they will not prevent birds from becoming infected and shedding virus, hiding the symptoms of disease.
	We remain convinced that early detection, application of rapid and robust control measures, and enhanced biosecurity and surveillance are key to the successful eradication of avian influenza in poultry.
	We recognise that there are specific circumstances in which vaccination could play a role. For example, we have ordered 2.3 million doses of vaccine as a contingency reserve for zoo birds. The present situation concerns one dead wild bird and to date there is no evidence of any associated disease in UK commercial poultry.
	In these circumstances we do not see any role for vaccination.
	Policy for human vaccination is the responsibility of the Department of Health.

Cetaceans

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2006, Official Report, column 2506W, on cetacean by-catch, how much Government funding for the Cetacean and Turtle Strandings Scheme (a) has been spent in each year since it was established and (b) has been allocated for future years.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra (and previously DETR) has funded the Cetacean and Turtle Strandings Scheme since its inception in 1990. From 2005–06 onwards the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government have provided a financial contribution to the scheme.
	(a) Funding figures for the current year, along with the previous 10 years are:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2006–07 (1)305,000 
			 2005–06 (1)454,752 
			 2004–05 455,761 
			 2003–04 361,265 
			 2002–03 351,371 
			 2001–02 392,094 
			 2000–01 337,548 
			 1999–2000 204,257 
			 1998–99 189,072 
			 1997–98 159,374 
			 1996–97 182,703 
		
	
	(1)Includes SE/WAG contribution.
	(b) Defra are currently reviewing requirements for research into cetacean strandings. Until this review is completed, budgets have not been allocated for 2007–08 and future years.

Cetaceans

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2006, Official Report, column 2506W, on cetacean by-catch, what estimate she has made of common dolphin by-catch in the 2005–06 season.

Ben Bradshaw: Estimates of by-catch for the 2005–06 season are not yet available. Results of observer schemes which monitor cetacean by-catch will be used to meet the obligations of Council Regulation (EC) 812/2004, which requires the UK Government to report to the Commission by 1 June 2006 on by-catch monitoring in particular fisheries.

Fly-tipping

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of fly-tipping have (a) been reported and (b) led to a prosecution in (i) South East Essex and (ii)Southend-on-Sea since April 2004.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra and the Environment Agency have established a national database on fly-tipping (Flycapture), operational since April 2004.
	Flycapture collects data at local authority level only. It is important to note that the following data are probably an underestimate and will increase as authorities get better at collecting and reporting information.
	Southend-on-Sea borough council reported 1,736 incidents of fly-tipping between April 2004 and March 2005 (an average of 157.8 per month) and 1,591 incidents between April 2005 and February 2006 (an average of 132.6 per month). Waste collection authorities across the whole of Essex reported 25,083 incidents in 2004–05 (an average of 2,090.3 per month) and 21,741 incidents in 2005–06 (an average of 1,811.8 per month).
	Prosecutions data are available only from April 2005 to February 2006. During this period no prosecutions were reported by Southend-on-Sea borough council. Local authorities in Essex took forward 9 prosecutions in this time period.
	The following table shows the relevant data broken down by individual local authorities in Essex.
	
		Local authorities in Essex
		
			  April 2004 to March 2005 April 2005 to March 2006 
			  Number of returns Number of incidents Average per month Number of returns Number of incidents Average per month Prosecutions 
		
		
			 Basildon District Council 12 11,639 969.9 12 8,586 715.5 1 
			 Braintree District Council 11 2154 195.8 12 2,184 182.0 0 
			 Brentwood Borough Council 10 502 50.2 12 388 32.3 1 
			 Castle Point Borough Council 8 349 43.6 12 544 45.3 0 
			 Chelmsford Borough Council 12 1,048 87.3 12 517 43.1 2 
			 Colchester Borough Council 12 195 16.3 12 141 11.8 0 
			 Epping Forest District Council 11 2,276 206.9 12 2,492 207.7 0 
			 Harlow District Council 12 2234 186.2 12 2220 185.0 0 
			 Maldon District Council 2 143 71.5 12 576 48.0 0 
			 Rochford District Council 12 416 34.7 12 419 34.9 0 
			 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council 11 1,736 157.8 12 1,591 132.6 0 
			 Tendring District Council 11 578 52.5 12 523 43.6 0 
			 Thurrock Borough Council 12 1571 130.9 12 1,320 110.0 5 
			 Uttlesford District Council 10 242 24.2 12 240 20.0 0 
			 Essex Total 12 25,083 2,090.3 12 21,741 1,811.8 9

Herdwick Indigenous Sheep Flock

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding her Department has made available for the protection of the Herdwick indigenous sheep flock in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 3 May 2006
	In 2001, Defra granted £10,000 to create the Heritage Gene Bank which was set up to preserve semen and embryos from breeds considered to be at-risk due to the FMD outbreak of the time. The Herdwick was one of those breeds considered to be at-risk because the majority of its breeding population were in or near to areas heavily affected by FMD.
	Defra recognises the need to have a long term view on managing the genetic health of our livestock breeding population and the need for a co-ordinated effort to support initiatives that will encourage the characterisation, conservation and utilisation of our livestock genetic resources—which includes rare, mainstream and heritage livestock breeds. The National Steering Committee for Farm Animal Genetic Resources is about to report to Ministers with a national action plan to identify what the Government, industry stakeholders and other organisations can do to improve the management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources and this plan will help inform our future policy in this area.

Import of Seal Skins Regulations

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the operation of the Import of Seal Skins Regulations 1996.

Jim Knight: The Import of Seal Skins Regulations 1996 prohibit the commercial importation of skins (and other listed products) of White coat, Harp and Blueback Hooded seal pups, as required by European Council Directive 83/129/EEC (as amended). These Regulations are enforced at the border by HM Revenue and Customs.

Fisheries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money the Moroccan Army has received from the issuing of fishing licences in Western Sahara under the last EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement; how much it is expected to receive under the currentlyproposed agreement; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not hold this information.

Television Disposal

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of analogue televisions which will be sent to landfill as a result of switching off the analogue television signal; and what steps she is taking to find means by which televisions can be reused or recycled.

Ben Bradshaw: Digital switchover does not require any equipment to be thrown away. However, as the regulatory impact assessment on the timing of digital switchover acknowledges, there may be a temporary acceleration in the disposal of some secondary televisions that people choose not to adapt after switchover in each region. In light of this, Defra and the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) have jointly commissioned the Market Transformation Programme to establish and quantify any changes in patterns of disposal of consumer equipment, including televisions, due to digital switchover. This project is due to report in June.
	Televisions disposed of following digital switchover will be subject to regulations implementing the EU Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which aims to prevent electronic and electrical waste and promote reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery in order to reduce the amount of such waste going to landfill. The directive requires producers, or those acting on their behalf, to set up systems for treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE.
	Transposition of the majority of the WEEE directive is the responsibility of the DTI. However, Defra is drawing up regulations amending the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, to transpose the treatment-permitting requirements of article 6 of the directive. Defra also intend to introduce exemptions from the need to obtain a waste management licence for those storing waste electrical equipment prior to its recovery and those repairing such equipment to promote its reuse.
	These regulations will help ensure that less waste electrical equipment ends up in landfill. They will also help to ensure that more of it is either reused or recycled in an environmentally sound manner.
	The DTI plan to consult on the draft regulations and accompanying guidance later this spring.

Water Conservation/Resources

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to use the planning system to promote water conservation; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The prudent use of natural resources is set out in PPS1, Delivering sustainable development"; this includes the sustainable use of water.
	Water use in buildings is also related to design and installation. Consequently the promotion of water conservation can also be served through building or water regulation.
	Water conservation is a key element of sustainability. We intend to regulate to increase water efficiency in new homes and will consult on proposals late this year. Proposals for water conservation are set out in the consultation paper for the Code for Sustainable Homes that was published on 6 December; the Code sets out a base line target that water used in homes should be 20 per cent. less than the current norm. The Code will have a range of performance standards with a five star rating system. Housing schemes that are publicly funded or built on sites released or assembled by Government will have to achieve a three star rating.

Water Conservation/Resources

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 28 March 2006, Official Report, columns 844–5W, on water, if she will place in the Library a copy of the (a) joint sustainability impact study, (b) incidence effects of charging for domestic water and sewerage services (DETR, June 1998) (c) cross-Government review of water affordability (DEFRA, December 2004) and (d) current 25 year water resource plan for each water company in England.

Elliot Morley: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is placing copies of (a) sustainability impacts study of additional house building scenarios in England in the House Library.
	The Department is placing copies of (b) Incidence Effects of Charging for Domestic Water and Sewerage Services, and (c) the Cross-Government Review of Water Affordability in the House Library.
	The Department does not hold copies of the companies' water resource plans, which are currently produced voluntarily. I will, however, place in the Library, a copy of the Environment Agency report to Ministers on those plans, Maintaining Water Supply. Summaries of plans are also available on company websites. When these plans are made statutory under the Water Act 2003, the non-commercially confidential aspects of both draft and final plans will be publicly available.

TRANSPORT

Airport Security

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 April 2006, Official Report, column 1089W, whether any of the incidents referred to were deemed to be a threat to the lives of passengers, staff or the general public.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 3 May 2006
	If an incident involves circumstances indicating that an accident nearly occurred, it is defined as a serious incident under the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996. Of the 43 occurrences referred to in my earlier answer, four wereeither accidents or serious incidents. All serious incidents and accidents are investigated by the Department's air accidents investigation branch. The reports of all AAIB investigations are published on their website.

Airport Security

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 April 2006, Official Report, column 1089W, how many incidents there were at each of the airports in each of the three preceding years.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The number of incidents investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority at or in the locality of Belfast international airport, Belfast city airport and Londonderry airport in each of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Belfast international Belfast city Londonderry 
		
		
			 2002 8 11 1 
			 2003 115 13 3 
			 2004 12 15 4 
		
	
	Of these, four were accidents or serious incidents as defined in the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996.

British Transport Police

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the financial position is of the British Transport Police pension fund.

Derek Twigg: The latest valuation of the British Transport Police Superannuation Fund was carried out as at 30 June 2004 and completed on 31 December 2004. For valuation purposes the fund is split into three parts and the results were:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1970 Section—Preserved Part (2)1.1 
			 1970 Section—Contributory Part (3)9 
			 1968 Section (2)0.3 
		
	
	(2)Surplus
	(3)Shortfall

Climate Change

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has (a) made and (b) plans to make of the effects of (i) English local authorities' local transport plans and (ii) the road schemes included in those plans on the Government's Public Sector Agreement target for greenhouse gas emissions.

Stephen Ladyman: Statutory Local Transport Plans are subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment, and the implications for greenhouse gas emissions will be carefully considered as part of this process. All new major road schemes proposed by local authorities within Local Transport Plans will remain subject to normal approval processes. Decisions on schemes will take account of climate change impacts alongside other environmental, economic and safety factors.

Climate Change

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments have been made of the impact on climate change of decisions taken by his Department since it assumed joint responsibility for the Public Service Agreement target on reducing climate change emissions in April 2005; and if he will publish those assessments.

Stephen Ladyman: The transport measures included in CM6764 Climate Change: The UK Programme 2006" were subjected to analysis on a number of measures including cost-effectiveness, distribution and air quality and other environmental impacts. Details of this areavailable at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/pdf/ukccp06-ria.pdf.
	In addition, Statutory Local Transport Plans and Regional Transport Strategies are subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment, and the implications for greenhouse gas emissions are carefully considered as part of this process. Ministers' decisions on schemes will take account of climate change impacts alongside other environmental, economic and safety factors.

Dartford Crossing

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a review of traffic delays related to the Dartford Crossing, the method of toll collection at the crossing and the part which the method of toll collection plays in the creation of vehicle tailbacks.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency keeps journey times and journey time reliability under review for all its roads, including the Dartford Crossing.
	Paying to use the crossing is not the limiting factor on traffic at the crossing, but rather the capacity of the crossing itself, particularly the tunnels. The toll plazas perform an important safety role in controlling the demand and speed of vehicles both through the tunnels and away from the bridge.

Government Vehicles

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cars are available for (a) Ministers and (b) officials (i) through the pool and (ii) through individual assignment.

Stephen Ladyman: There are 85 cars and drivers permanently allocated to Ministers and 25 cars and drivers permanently allocated to senior officials. The Government Car Service (GCS) also operates 35 pool cars. Official cars and drivers are provided by the GCS in accordance with the Prime Minister's guidance Travel by Ministers".

Government Vehicles

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total expenditure on motor vehicles for Ministers and senior officials was in 2005–06.

Stephen Ladyman: The contracted cost of providing allocated cars and drivers to Ministers and senior officials in 2005–06 was £7,079,400.

Railways

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes rail passengers may expect to (a) their expectation of a seat, (b) the availability of cheap day returns and (c) fare levels as a result of the Great West Franchise being awarded to First, with particular reference to the service between Cardiff and Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The franchise agreement requires First Great Western (FGW) to use reasonable endeavours to minimise the need for passengers to stand on off-peak services, and for no more than 20 minutes on peak services. Rises in commuter fares and long-distance Saver Return fares are regulated in accordance with the Department's current policy, which limits annual rises in each category to an average of 1 per cent. above inflation. Other fares are unregulated, and FGW is free to set them on a commercial basis FGW are investing £200 million across the franchise to upgrade trains and stations. Trains on this route will benefit from this investment.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used (a) the St. Ives Bay line, (b) the Looe Valley line, (c) the Tamar Valley line, (d) the St. Albans Abbey Branch, (e) the Grantham to Skegness line, (f) the Penistone line and (g) the Esk Valley line in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: Statistics for passenger journeys are generally presented on the basis of railway financial year which runs from April to March. The figures for the last five financial years are set out in the following tables.
	All of these lines have been chosen to demonstrate aspects of the Community Rail Development Strategy and most of them have long established community rail partnerships to promote and develop them (partnerships were established during 2005–06 for the Skegness Line and St. Albans Line). The figures need to be treated with caution (see following notes), but demonstrate that there has been growth on all lines over the last five years.
	
		Number of passengers and average number of passengers per train
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
			  Total (Thousand) Average Total (Thousand) Average Total (Thousand) Average 
		
		
			 St. Ives 297 25 324 27 331 28 
			 Looe 58 11 69 11 76 13 
			 Tamar 123 24 117 23 110 22 
			 St. Albans 367 25 344 25 367 25 
			 Skegness(4) 760 70 704 71 722 69 
			 Penistone 783 67 752 68 836 72 
			 Esk Valley 145 52 155 52 175 65 
			 Total 2,533 41 2,465 41 2,617 42 
		
	
	
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 
			  Total (Thousand) Average Total (Thousand) Average 
		
		
			 St. Ives 329 26 364 22 
			 Looe 72 12 68 9 
			 Tamar 115 23 130 25 
			 St. Albans 374 26 389 27 
			 Skegness(4) 795 73 764 71 
			 Penistone 969 83 1,033 88 
			 Esk Valley 169 68 170 65 
			 Total 2,823 45 2,918 42 
		
	
	(4)Passenger figures for the Skegness Line include all passengers on the Nottingham—Grantham—Skegness service.
	Notes:
	1. The date of the Easter holidays can impact on the carryings of lines dependent on tourist traffic and in some financial years, there is no Easter (e.g. financial year 2005–06).
	2. Data based on ticketing system supplied by the train operator. All such data may be subject to adjustment.
	3. The Esk Valley line was used by passengers on trains run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway during the summer of 2005 this adds approximately 5,000 to the total passengers shown in the table).
	4. The St. Ives line figures as presented have been adjusted to account for a ticketing system error which led to an under-reporting of journeys in financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05.
	5. Several lines have had periods of closure for engineering work. These include closures of a week or more on the Esk Valley and West Country branches and a closure to allow the commissioning of the new link between the Skegness Line and the East Coast Main Line last Autumn. These closures can reduce loadings significantly.
	6. The number of trains used to calculate the average number of passengers per train is based on an analysis of the public timetable and generally reflects trains running the whole length of the line with the following exceptions:
	St. Ives includes trains terminating at Lelant Saltings
	Tamar Valley includes trains terminating at Calstock
	Skegness is based on all trains on the section of line east of Grantham (some start/terminate at Boston or Sleaford) (as the Middlesbrough—Nunthorpe services do not run the whole length of the Esk Valley these are also excluded).
	7. No allowance is made for engineering closures or other similar disruption. Where buses are included in the public timetable rail tickets are valid on the bus, these are included trains for the purposes of calculating the averages.

Road Construction

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost was of constructing a mile of (a) motorway and (b) trunk road in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The average cost of constructing a mile of three lane motorway was £28.4 million per mile and for constructing a mile of dual carriageway was £15.3 million per mile, based on prices at the end of 2005.

Transport Subsidies

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether he plans to review the rate of the Bus Service Operators Grant; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of (a) the appropriateness of the rate of the Bus Service Operators Grant and (b) its impact on local bus operators; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: We will be reviewing the rate of Bus Service Operators Grant in the light of the changes to fuel duty from 1 September this year contained in the Budget Statement on 22 March and will make an announcement in due course.
	For the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 we are of course considering all transport spending, including spending on bus subsidies and concessionary fares, and the various impacts of that spending.

Travel Costs

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change in real terms has been of the costs of travelling by (a) private car, (b) bus and (c) train since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Between 1997 and 2005 the real cost of motoring declined by 9 per cent. Bus and coach fares increased by 15 per cent., and rail fares increased by 5 per cent.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) males and (b) females in each branch of the Crown Prosecution Service have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed in the last 10 years as a result of a complaint against them of (i) bullying and (ii) sexual harassment being upheld; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Data setting out the reasons for leaving the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prior to 1 April 2001 are not available. This date coincides with the change of the HR database. Since that date, one male has been disciplined—in February 2002—for sexual harassment. No males have been disciplined for bullying and no females have been disciplined for either bullying or sexual harassment. No staff have been dismissed as a result of a complaint of bullying or sexual harassment being upheld against them. All complaints of bullying and sexual harassment are investigated in accordance with the CPS' Equality and Diversity Complaints Procedure.

Crown Prosecution Service

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how much compensation the Crown Prosecution Service has paid out in each the last 10 years as a result of complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment being upheld; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Complaints of bullying and sexual harassment are investigated by the Crown Prosecution Service in accordance with its equality and diversity complaints procedure. If a complaint is upheld, a disciplinary authority is appointed who will decide on what action would be appropriate. That does not include the payment of compensation and it therefore follows that no compensation has been paid in the last 10 years.

SCOTLAND

Corporate Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions he has accepted corporate hospitality in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: Paragraph 5.28 of the ministerial code sets out the rules on the registration of hospitality.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) EU foreign nationals and (b) non-EU foreign nationals have been employed in his Department in each of the last five years; what vetting procedures are in place for each category of staff; and whether these include liaison with foreign law enforcement agencies.

David Cairns: The staff in the Scotland Office are employees of the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs and it is the responsibility of those Departments to undertake any necessary vetting. The Office does not hold information on the nationality of staff.

Departmental Televisions

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Ministers' private offices and (c) in each building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has 10 television sets; five in Melville Crescent, Edinburgh and five in Dover House, London, of which two are in the ministerial private offices.
	Regarding licences, I refer the hon. Member to the answer she received on 13 March 2006, Official Report, column 1920W from the Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism.

Equal Pay

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) women and (b) men are employed in the Department; what the average pay was for (i) women and (ii) men in the Department in (A) 1997 and (B) 2006; what women's average pay is as a percentage of men's average pay; and how many (1)women and (2) men the Department employed in each of the last five years, broken down by grade.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	The Cabinet Office collects and publishes annually statistical information on the civil service by Department. These include data on the employment of men and women. Information on the numbers of women and men employed in the civil service broken down at 31 December 2005 is available in the Library and on the civil service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/employment/index.asp
	The staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive and the Department for Constitutional Affairs and information on average salaries and percentages is not available. The percentages of women in each grade have been published in the Office's departmental and annual reports since 2002.

PRIME MINISTER

Honours (Prevention of Abuses ) Act

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from (a) hon. Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords, (c) Members of the Scottish Parliament and (d) members of the public about (i) the operation of and (ii) reform of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The information is not held in the format requested. However, since January I have received over 400 letters and cards about the issue of honours. Given the volume of correspondence I receive, thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues, my office records letters by subject rather than by the view expressed.

Ministerial Code of Conduct

Derek Conway: To ask the Prime Minister on whichdates the Cabinet Secretary advised him of the application of the ministerial code of conduct in relation to the relationship between the Deputy Prime Minister and a civil servant.

Tony Blair: I have regular meetings and discussions with ministerial colleagues and others on a wide range of subjects. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

TREASURY

Budget 2006

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the summary leaflet Budget 2006 were distributed to (a) hospitals, (b) doctors' waiting rooms, (c) libraries and (d) other public places following the Budget; how many (i) hospitals, (ii)doctors' waiting rooms and (iii) libraries requested such leaflets; and what the total cost was of printing and distribution of these leaflets.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answerI gave to the hon. Member for South-West Hertfordshire (Mr. Gauke) on 24 April 2006, Official Report, column 8710W.
	Some 175,000 copies of the summary leaflet were distributed to libraries in the UK.

EU Accession States

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential impact on (a) employment trends and (b) public expenditure in (i) the UK and (ii) Peterborough and Cambridgeshire of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union after 1 January 2007; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Based on the UK's experience of the recent accession of eight countries in May 2004, the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union is likely to make a positive contribution to growth of the UK labour force and employment. It is very difficult to estimate the exact impact on employment trends and public expenditure of potential migration flows from Bulgaria and Romania, and even more difficult to estimate these impacts at the sub-regional level. However, some assessment can be made based on UK experience, particularly from the accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Slovenia in May 2004.
	With respect to the labour market, since May 2004 employment levels in the UK have risen to record highs, in part due to the expansion of the work force from immigration. A paper entitled The Impact of Free Movement of Workers from Central and Eastern Europe on the UK Labour Market" (2006) published by the Department for Work and Pensions, suggests that the impact of migration from the new EU member states has been broadly positive, reflecting the flexibility and speed of adjustment of the UK labour market. The authors also found no discernible statistical evidence supporting the view that the inflow of A8 migrants is contributing to a rise in claimant unemployment in the UK.
	With respect to potential effects on public expenditure, evidence from the most recent Home Office Accession Monitoring Report suggests
	nationals from the Accession 8 countries continue to come to the UK to work, contributing to the success of the UK economy, whilst making very few demands of our welfare system or public services."

Financial Exclusion

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in Tamworth constituency who did not have access to a bank account on 31 December (a) 2005 and (b) 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The most recent information available that allows assessment to be made of the number of households with no access to a bank account is the family resources survey from 2002–03. This indicates that 8 per cent. of households in the United Kingdom had no bank account of any kind. This equated to 1.9 million households containing around 2.8 million adults. The data are broken down to Government Office regional level. This shows 10 per cent. of households in the West Midlands were unbanked.
	In 1997–98, the family resources survey was collected on a Great Britain basis, excluding Northern Ireland. 9per cent. of households in the West Midlands were unbanked at that time compared to 8 per cent. of households in Great Britain as a whole.
	In December 2004, the Government and the banks agreed to work together towards the goal of halving the number of adults in households with no access to a bank account of any kind and of making significant progress within two years. The Financial Inclusion Taskforce has been asked to monitor progress. The taskforce recently made its first annual report, which concluded that steady progress has been made towards the goal but also encouraged banks to continue to address the difficulties faced in opening a bank account.

Fiscal Autonomy (Scotland)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Scotland and (b) the First Minister of Scotland on fiscal autonomy for Scotland.

Des Browne: Treasury Ministers meet Scottish Ministers from time to time to discuss matters of common interest.

Free Bus Travel

David Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) service users and (b) local authorities of the proposal he announced in the Budget of introducing funding for cross-district free off-peak bus travel for pensioners from April 2008 instead of (i) immediately and (ii) from April 2007.

Des Browne: holding answer 24 April 2006
	No assessment has been made of the effect on (a) service users or (b) local authorities of the Budget 2006 announcement of free off-peak nationwide bus travel for all pensioners and all disabled people, in England from April 2008 instead of (i) immediately or (ii) from April 2007. This is because legislative change is necessary to enact the announcement. The scheme could therefore not commence until April 2008.

Fuel Duty (Northern Ireland)

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of fuel duty levels on the Northern Ireland economy.

John Healey: Fuel duty rates were announced in the Budget, the Government continues to attach a high priority to tackling fraud. Northern Ireland's economy is continuing to grow and benefits from the range of Government economic policies set out in the Budget.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by his Department in each of the last five years.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Transport on 27 April 2006, Official Report, column 1226W.

Non-fossil Fuels

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to the hon. Member for Leominster (Bill Wiggin) of 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 331W, on non-fossil fuels, if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal advice advising that funds in the non-fossil fuel obligation fund were hereditary revenues.

John Healey: It would not be appropriate to release the legal advice concerned, as it is confidential and subject to legal professional privilege.

Nursery Places

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many nursery and crèche places are provided for people working in his Department; what charges are made for the provision of such services; and what other facilities are provided for the children of employees of his Department.

John Healey: The Treasury does not provide any nursery or crèche facilities. The Department is a member of the Westminster holiday play-scheme, which operates during school holidays and is open to children aged four years and nine months up to 12 years of age. The Treasury has two bespoke play-scheme rooms, which can cater for up to 18 children. The cost per child is £24.89 per day and the Treasury subsidises the costs by 51.78 per cent. The total subsidy to Treasury parents using the play-scheme from February 2005 to February 2006 inclusive has been £8,947.
	The Treasury also supports the child care cost of eligible staff. Staff who work full-time receive child care vouchers up to the value of £40 per week per family, part-timers receive a pro-rated amount. Currently 103 members of staff receive child care vouchers. The cost of child care vouchers, since the scheme was introduced in January 2004 up to and including April 2006 is £354,300.

Overseas Aid

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the target of 0.7 per cent. of gross domestic product to be allocated to overseas aid will include the £8.5 billion for education in Africa and Asia announced by the Chancellor in April 2006.

Ivan Lewis: In 2005 the international community, under the leadership of the UK presidency of the G8, made substantial promises to increase the amount of aid. The £8.5 billion announced for education is part of the UK's commitment to delivering these aid promises, which means that it will be included in our target of 0.7 per cent. of GDP for overseas aid.

Pensions

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Government Actuary has made of contingent public sector liabilities in respect of employee pension funds of privatised companies.

Des Browne: The Government Actuary has not been asked to make any assessment of these liabilities.

Plastic Bags

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to introduce a tax on plastic carrier bags; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland on the operation of their plastic bag tax.

John Healey: The Chancellor continues to keep all taxes under review. The Government currently has no plans for a plastic bag tax.
	The Treasury carried out an assessment of the Irish plastic bag tax following its introduction in 2002. A copy of this assessment is available in the Library of the House.

Poverty Reduction (Developing Countries)

Mark Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress was made at the recent International Monetary Fund/World bank meeting in Washington towards poverty reduction in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: At the spring meetings the World bank governors confirmed the 100 per cent. debt cancellation for the heavily indebted poor countries, matching the debt relief which the IMF has been providing since January. The Development Committee of Board of Governors of the bank and fund called on all donors to fully implement the commitments they have made for substantial increases in aid volumes. The Committee emphasised the importance of universal access to primary education and sustained support for good quality education plans, and the key role the education for all—fast track initiative could play in all qualifying low income countries. The Development Committee also called on donors to fill the current financing gap. The UK has announced that it will provide an extra £100 million to the fast track initiative over the next two years which represents a downpayment to meet our share of the current financing gap.

Public Sector Charges/Fees

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on the competitiveness of the United Kingdom economy of higher than inflation increases in public sector charges and fees to private sector businesses.

John Healey: None.

Suggestion Schemes

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what suggestion schemes are available for employees of HM Revenue and Customs to pass on their ideas; and what rewards are given for suggestions implemented.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have established a Recognition Bonus Scheme(RBS) to recognise and reward work-related suggestions, which was launched in March 2006. This replaces a number of schemes previously used in the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise.
	The RBS specifically recognises an individual or team contribution to the promotion and delivery of innovation in working arrangements. Payments made under the RBS can range from £100 to £1,000 gross, depending on the value and impact of the suggestion.
	HMRC is also developing a new scheme to encourage ideas for small changes, which will help people to develop them and see them through to completion, and enable decisions about them to be made quickly. Financial recognition within this scheme will also be supported by the RBS.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 where HM Revenue and Customs contacted child care providers to verify the details that had been provided by the claimant, the child care element of child tax credit was (i) reduced and (ii)stopped.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 6 February 2006
	Irefer the right hon. Member to my response of 28 February 2005, Official Report, column 946W, which gave the number of child care providers HMRC contacted. As a result of this work 9,541 adjustments were made to tax credit claims in 2003–04 and 18,274 in 2004–05. All adjustments reduced the amount of tax credits paid, but it is not possible to say how many of these were stopped.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation or handouts produced by Valuation Office Agency staff for its session at the Integrating GIS and CAMA Conference held from 19 to 22 February in Disney's Coronado Springs Convention Center, Orlando, Florida.

Dawn Primarolo: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency's presentation for the Integrating CIS and CAMA 2006 Conference entitled improving Efficiency by Estimating the Confidence in Property Valuations" has been placed in the Library.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation or handouts produced by Valuation Office Agency staff for its session at the International Property Tax Institute conference between 6 and 7 February in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Dawn Primarolo: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency's presentations and handouts for the International Property Tax Institute conference between 6 and 7 February 2006 entitled Training in the valuation of specialised properties in the UK" and Valuation for Taxation Public Infrastructure" have been placed in the Library.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation or handouts produced by Valuation Office Agency staff for its session at the 8th International Conference of the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation which took place from 22 to 25 February 2005 in Alicante, Spain.

Dawn Primarolo: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency's presentation for the 8th International Conference of the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation entitled Valuation Specialist Properties for Rating" has been placed in the Library. This was part of a joint presentation on Valuing Specialist Properties".

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Nuclear Fusion Plants

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will increase future investment in the development of nuclear fusion plants.

Alan Johnson: The UK is making a significant investment in fusion through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) totalling around £56 million over four years from 2004. This is in addition to the very significant EU investment in fusion research through participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) which will have a construction cost of around €5 billion.

Manufacturing (South Wales)

Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to help manufacturing industry in South Wales.

Alun Michael: Manufacturing is vital to the UK economy and Government are taking action through the Manufacturing Strategy to help manufacturers in all parts of the UK to move to high value added production through the application of science and innovation, best practice and skills development. We work closely with colleagues at the Welsh Assembly on these matters. For example, we have set up the Manufacturing Advisory Service which has generated £213 million of added value throughout the UK, including £15 million in Wales.

Unfair Dismissal Claims

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of unfair dismissal claims which were upheld by an industrial tribunal resulted in reinstatement of the claimant in each of the last four years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The percentage of unfair dismissal claims upheld by an Employment Tribunal which resulted in an order for reinstatement in each of the last four years ranges consistently from 0.1 to 0.2 per cent. of cases.

Sunday Trading

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to change Sunday trading laws.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry).

Gas Storage

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the arrangements for gas storage in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: Some 10 new commercially-funded gas storage facilities are under development; subject to regulatory consents, they could more than double GB's gas storage capacity by 2012.
	The Government are pursuing a number of initiatives to improve the regulatory framework in order to facilitate new gas storage facilities.

Business Bankruptcies

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small businesses in England went bankrupt in 2004–05.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not currently possible to identify the size of business in the official bankruptcy statistics published by the Insolvency Service.

Arms Trade Treaty

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) Ministry of Defence and (c) Department for International Development regarding the Arms Trade Treaty; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Given my responsibilities for export control, I am fully engaged in the Government's policy, led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, of securing support for an international Arms Trade Treaty.

Assisted Area Status

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what stage his Department's consultation on which areas will be covered by assistedarea status is; and what representations he has received in favour of maintaining the status quo in Merseyside.

Alun Michael: On 15 February 2006, the Department for Trade and Industry invited responses to the first stage of the Assisted Area Review by 19 April. These responses are currently being assessed and the government's response to the first stage of the consultation will be published this summer when stage 2 is launched. We received a total of 203 written replies within the deadline and almost all addressed the extent to which Merseyside and South Yorkshire should be covered.

Business Regulations

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to reduce the burden of regulation on UK businesses.

Barry Gardiner: The Department has published a draft Simplification Plan which sets out our programme for reducing the burden of regulation on UK business. It delivers more than £l billion in regulatory savings for business by 2010. We will be updating and improving on this shortly.

Central and Eastern Europe

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of the UK's international trade with Central and Eastern Europe was in 2005–06; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: UK trade in goods and services with Central and Eastern Europe in 2004 was over £15billion, more than double the 1997 figure. From 2004 to 2005 there was a further 8 per cent. increase in trade in goods.

Coal Pension Properties Ltd

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) direct and (b) indirect communication his Department has had with Coal Pension Properties Ltd. in the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has no record of any communication with Coal Pension Properties Ltd.

Companies' Business Reviews

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government will announce the findings of its consultation on the proposed content of companies' business reviews.

Alun Michael: holding answer 2 May 2006
	Yesterday we laid amendments to Chapter 6, Part 15 of the Bill in order to give effect to changes to the content of companies' business reviews. As part of our proposals, we also intend to clarify the position on liability for disclosures under the Companies Act and for implementation of the EU Transparency Obligations Directive. Draft clauses on a proposed regime for liability have been published via the DTI website (at http://www.dti.gov.uk/cld/facts/clr.htm) for a short period for public comment. This package of proposals represents consistent and balanced policy after considering carefully the responses to the consultation and engaging in discussion with interested parties on the whole range of options for narrative reporting.
	The requirements for narrative reporting have been streamlined so that the requirements for quoted companies are closely aligned to those for unquoted companies. The proposed new narrative reporting arrangements include the requirement that all companies will need to produce a business review, as required by the EU Accounts Modernisation Directive. The amendments make clear that the purpose of the review is to inform shareholders of the company and help them assess how the directors have performed their duty under section 156 (duty to promote the success of the company). Quoted companies will need to ensure that, to the extent necessary for an understanding of the development, performance or position of the company's business, their business review includes:
	(a) the main trends and factors likely to affect the future development, performance and position of the company's business; and
	(b) information about:
	(i) environmental matters (including the impact of the company's business on the environment),
	(ii) the company's employees, and (iii) social and community issues, including information about any policies of the company in relation to those matters and the effectiveness of those policies.
	Directors will need to state in their Review if they do not think it necessary to include information about (i), (ii) or (iii) above.
	The new system will also mean that for all companies:
	Auditors will continue to be required to report on the consistency of the directors' report with the annual accounts (as is required by the Accounts Modernisation Directive) but there will not be any additional requirement to check for other inconsistencies;
	All companies will be exempted from disclosing in the business review information which is seriously prejudicial to the company's interests. This exemption was previously only provided for companies that had to produce an OFR; and
	There will be no statutory reporting standards for the Business Review.
	The draft clauses on liability cover:
	Provision for liability under Part 15 of the Bill for directors' reports, directors' remuneration reports or summary financial statements derived from them;
	Provision for liability for disclosures under Transparency Obligations Directive implementation;
	Liability for untrue or misleading statements or omissions made in bad faith or recklessly or where there is deliberate and dishonest concealment.
	The Government's aim has always been to encourage meaningful strategic, forward-looking information to assist shareholder engagement, while avoiding disproportionate burdens on business. The Government have decided that the additional burden imposed by the statutory OFR requirement is not justified in light of the competitiveness of UK businesses. The changes to narrative reporting requirements announced yesterday will add value to the quality of reporting without imposing unnecessary costs.

Companies' Business Reviews

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his plans are for bringing forward proposals to Chapter 6, Part 15 of the Company Law Reform Bill.

Alun Michael: holding answer 2 May 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to my response to his parliamentary question number 67492 answered today.

Companies' Business Reviews

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department will publish the proposed new Table A of the Company Law Reform Bill.

Alun Michael: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The Company Law Reform Bill contains a power to enable my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State through secondary legislation, to prescribe, stand-alone model articles for different types of company. The model articles are to replace the Companies Act 1985 Table A for companies formed under the Bill and we intend to make sure that regulations made under this power will be in place by the time that the Bill comes into force.
	A draft of the model articles for private companies limited by shares, and draft guidance notes on those model articles, was published in the March 2005 White Paper and we will shortly publish a draft of the model articles for public companies. We will then turn to the draft model articles for private companies limited by guarantee.
	We look forward to receiving comments on the draft model articles for public companies and are working with interested parties to make sure that the final versions of the various model articles are both useful and relevant to people who rely on the model articles: the owners and managers of companies. There will be full public consultation before regulations are made.

Compensation Claims (VAT)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions his Department has agreed to pay VAT as part of a costs settlement for (a) noise induced hearing loss claims, (b) vibration white finger claims and (c) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims.

Malcolm Wicks: All cost settlement made in noise induced hearing loss, vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims will include VAT as part of that settlement.

Defence Exports

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of defence equipment sold by UK defence manufacturers to (a) Iran, (b) China and (c) Turkey in 2005.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI Export Control Organisation (ECO) is responsible only for holding information on the export licences it has issued, not on the value of UK defence equipment sales. However, the Government publish detailed information on its strategic export licensing decisions which include defence equipment. The total value of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) issued, by destination, is available in its Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. HM Revenue & Customs collects some data on exports of Military List items, which is published, by destination, in the Annual Reports.
	The Annual Reports are available from the Libraries of the House, and the Quarterly Reports, from the DTI Export Control Organisation website at:
	www.dti.gov.uk/export.control.
	We expect to publish the 2005 Annual Report by June 2006.

EU Directives (Organ Pipe Manufacturing)

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress the Government have made in discussions on the exemption of the organ pipe manufacturing industry from EU Directives on restrictions on hazardous substances and waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has been working with the pipe organ industry for some time and will continue to do so in order to secure a favourable outcome on this issue. The UK Government do not consider that pipe organs fall within the scope of this Directive, a view widely accepted within the E.C. The DTI is working closely with the European Commission, and our aim is to reach a successful conclusion before the Directive comes into force on 1 July.

EU Energy Shortages

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the UK is under an obligation to share national oil (a) stocks and (b) reserves in the event of energy shortages in the EU.

Malcolm Wicks: The UK is obliged as a member state of the European Union to hold emergency stocks of oil equivalent to 67.5 days' annual consumption for use in the event of disruption, and as a member of the International Energy Agency to take part in any collective response to disruption. The purpose of both these obligations is to enable a release of stocks onto the global oil market when there is collective agreement that this is necessary. The release of stocks following Hurricane Katrina by EU and other states, co-ordinated through the IEA, showed that the system was able to respond well to the disruption which occurred.

Export Control Act

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the proposed review of the Export Control Act 2002 is expected to commence; and which body he plans to ask to carry out the review.

Malcolm Wicks: In line with Cabinet Office guidance, my intention is to start the review of the regulations introduced under the Export Control Act after they have been in force for three years—from May 2007. The review will be carried out by DTI's Export Control Organisation, which has responsibility for the legislation, in consultation with other interested Departments and parties.

Fuel Prices

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average price of a gallon of (a) unleaded and (b) diesel fuel was in (i) Milton Keynes and (ii) the UK in each week since May 2005.

Malcolm Wicks: Weekly prices for Milton Keynes are not available. Average weekly prices for the UK as a whole are as follows.
	
		£/gallon
		
			  Diesel Unleaded petrol 
		
		
			 2 May 2005 4.07 3.88 
			 9 May 2005 4.07 3.88 
			 16 May 2005 4.06 3.88 
			 23 May 2005 4.05 3.85 
			 30 May 2005 4.02 3.83 
			 6 June 2005 4.01 3.82 
			 13 June 2005 4.04 3.86 
			 20 June 2005 4.07 3.89 
			 27 June 2005 4.10 3.94 
			 4 July 2005 4.14 3.98 
			 11 July 2005 4.18 3.99 
			 18 July 2005 4.21 4.03 
			 25 July 2005 4.23 4.05 
			 1 August 2005 4.24 4.06 
			 8 August 2005 4.26 4.08 
			 15 August 2005 4.30 4.12 
			 22 August 2005 4.30 4.13 
			 29 August 2005 4.33 4.16 
			 5 September 2005 4.42 4.29 
			 12 September 2005 4.45 4.32 
			 19 September 2005 4.42 4.29 
			 26 September 2005 4.38 4.24 
			 3 October 2005 4.39 4.25 
			 10 October 2005 4.41 4.28 
			 17 October 2005 4.41 4.28 
			 24 October 2005 4.40 4.25 
			 31 October 2005 4.39 4.22 
			 7 November 2005 4.39 4.20 
			 14 November 2005 4.32 4.12 
			 21 November 2005 4.24 4.03 
			 28 November 2005 4.21 4.00 
			 5 December 2005 4.17 3.97 
			 12 December 2005 4.16 3.96 
			 19 December 2005 4.17 3.98 
			 26 December 2005 4.19 4.00 
			 2 January 2006 4.19 4.00 
			 9 January 2006 4.23 4.03 
			 16 January 2006 4.24 4.05 
			 23 January 2006 4.26 4.07 
			 30 January 2006 4.27 4.09 
			 6 February 2006 4.27 4.08 
			 13 February 2006 4.26 4.08 
			 20 February 2006 4.26 4.07 
			 27 February 2006 4.26 4.07 
			 6 March 2006 4.26 4.06 
			 13 March 2006 4.27 4.07 
			 20 March 2006 4.29 4.10 
			 27 March 2006 4.32 4.13 
			 3 April 2006 4.35 4.17 
			 10 April 2006 4.38 4.22 
			 17 April 2006 4.44 4.28 
			 24 April 2006 4.48 4.33

Gas Supplies

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 675W, on gas supplies, if he will provide his Department's detailed calculations based on the IMF data and the Royal Bank of Scotland data which were used as the basis for the statement on German gas prices.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  As at December 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 IMF Data: Russian Natural gas border price in Germany (US$/thousand cubic metres) 156.24 250.56 
			 RBS Data: US$: Euro exchange rate 0.74596 0.84371 
			 Conversion of thousand mcm to Mwh 1000 cm= 11.06 Mwh 
			 Russian gas at German border price (Euro/Mwh) 10.54 19.11 
			 Increase over 2005 80 per cent 
		
	
	Notes:
	IMF data is publicly available (from http://www.imf.org/external/np/res/comnaod/index.asp) and has been converted to standard European units for the sale of gas using Royal Bank of Scotland publicly available exchange rate data (from http://www.rbs.com/content/media_centre/rbs_and_the_economy/rate_calculator/) and appropriate conversion rate

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions his Department has agreed to pay a fee to Vendside as part of the costs settlement for a noise-induced hearing loss claim.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department pays Vendside the costs incurred by the Union of Democratic Mineworkers in handling hearing loss claims. To date, 9,377 hearing loss claims have been settled by payment and a payment will have been made to Vendside in each of these.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2006,Official Report, column 2355W, on Union of Democratic Mineworkers/Vendside, if he will place in the Library the minutes of these meetings.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 3 May 2006
	It would not be appropriate for the Department to publish the minutes of these meetings without the prior consent of the other parties.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library copies of agreements between his Department and (a) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and (b) Vendside.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The agreement are commercially confidential so it would not be appropriate for the Department to publish them.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by the Department in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 April 2006, Official Report, column 1226W by my hon. Friend the Minster of State for Transport.

Mobile Telephone Tracking

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to ensure informed consent is obtained from children under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive in respect of mobile telephone tracking.

Alun Michael: The Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive (2002/5 8/EC) applies a number of privacy safeguards to value added services based on traffic and location data, including a requirement for informed consent from subscribers or users of the communications service involved. In the case of location data services, there is a requirement that subscribers or users must be able to withdraw their consent on a temporary as well as a long term basis, each time they connect to the network or make a phone call or other form of communication. The directive was implemented in the UK by the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, which came into force on 11 December 2003.
	Mobile phone location services are regulated under the Privacy and Electronic Communication (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 and the Data Protection Act 1998. Enforcement is the responsibility of the Information Commissioner. My officials will be working closely with the Information Commissioner's Office to consider any issues as they arise. They are aware of concerns raised by representatives of Children's Charities and will be arranging meetings to discuss these further.

Post Offices

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Shropshire of 6 March 2006, Official Report, column 1160, on post offices, whether he plans to assist the Post Office (a) to advertise and (b) to promote the facility to withdraw cash from bank accounts and the link network in post offices.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The advertising and promotion of post office facilities are operational matters for Post Office Ltd. (POL). My officials are in regular contact with POL to discuss ways of encouraging people to take up bank accounts accessible at post offices.

Post Offices

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many sub-post offices there are in Wales; and how many there were in 1997.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 2 May 2006
	Historic information on the network of Post Office branches by individual country area is only available from the year 1998–99, as this level of data was not maintained prior to this.
	For the year ending 1998–99, Post Office Ltd.'s records show that there were a total of 1,501 branches operating in Wales, made up of 1,473 agency branches and 28 branches that were directly managed by the company. The last published figures up to the end of December 2005 show 1,182 branches operating in Wales, 1,157 agency branches and 25 directly managed branches.
	The full year figures for the end of 2005–06 will be available in the next few weeks and will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

TVR

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is giving to TVR to find a new business location in Lancashire.

Alun Michael: The Northwest Regional Development Agency is working with Blackpool borough council to retain TVR within the immediate vicinity. They are working on the latest requirements outlined by the company. A previous specific offer of new premises was rejected and a more suitable location has now been identified. TVR has indicated that this offer is more in line with their future operational requirements and further discussions will take place next week, when Mr.Smolenski, the owner of TVR, next visits Blackpool.

Utilities (New Developments)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on delays by utility companies in providing connections to utility supplies for new developments.

Alun Michael: Ministers are periodically contacted on matters relating to connections in relation to gas, electricity and telecommunications. However, these are ultimately matters for the relevant regulators, Ofgem and Ofcom.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Art Collection (Security)

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she plans to increase security for items in the Government's art collection located outside the UK.

David Lammy: Nearly all of the works of art from the Government art collection that are located outside theUK are in British Government buildings and are subject to existing high levels of security. The security arrangements for Government buildings are kept under constant review.

BBC

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how she will ensure value for money from the BBC's proposed licence fee settlement.

Tessa Jowell: We are currently conducting an open and robust review of the BBC's funding, drawing on independent advice from PKF and others on a range of issues including the value for money of the BBC. The final settlement will deliver a strong BBC, independent of Government, and value for money for the licence fee payer. Under the new Charter and Agreement, the BBC Trust, as steward of the licence fee, will have a clear responsibility to ensure that the BBC delivers value for money.

BBC

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research she has commissioned on the BBC licence fee; and if she will publish it.

Tessa Jowell: We are commissioning survey research on the public's willingness to pay for the BBC; the findings of which will be published in due course. This survey research will be in addition to the financial analysis conducted by PKF which was published on 26 April 2006.

BBC

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made in the context of the BBC's licence fee bid of the value for money and efficiency savings expected to be achieved following the BBC's proposed move to Greater Manchester.

Tessa Jowell: In line with the commitment in the Green Paper, the Government are currently conducting a funding review to determine the level of the licence fee to apply from April 2007. It will take all relevant issues into account.

Correspondence

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Carolyn Warner of the Right to Swim campaign will receive an answer to her letter to the Secretary of State of January 2006.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 2 May 2006
	My officials have responded to Mrs Warner advising her that we are currently awaiting the formal report of the initial results of research by the National Water Safety Forum into the correlation between adult/child ratios at swimming pools and incidences of drowning.
	This report will be available by the end of May, at which point I will be a position to respond substantively to Mrs Warner's letter.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Single Mothers

Peter Bone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government have taken to enable single mothers to return to work.

Meg Munn: The Government have a range of measures to help single mothers move into work such as new deal for lone parents, the national child care strategy, the national minimum wage and tax credits which are making work possible and making sure that work pays.

Civil Service (Pay Levels)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what representations she has received on levels of pay for women in the civil service.

Meg Munn: Representations have been received from civil service unions and their members about equal pay issues. The Government continue to have regular strategic discussions with key stakeholders, including civil service organizations and the civil service unions on taking the equal pay agenda forward.

Civil Service (Pay Levels)

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will make a statement on the gender pay gap in the civil service.

Meg Munn: The median gender pay gap in the civil service is 25 per cent. but does not compare work of equal value. When the gender gap is compared by responsibility level the pay gap is around 5 per cent.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when she plans to appoint the members of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Meg Munn: We hope to appoint the chair of the new commission by summer this year, with commissioners and the chief executive to follow in late autumn.

Equality Audits

Anne Moffat: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what her assessment is of the merits of equality audits.

Meg Munn: Equal pay audits or reviews can identify unlawful pay inequalities between men and women. The Equal Opportunities Commission has developed a useful toolkit which describes a model equal pay review process. This is available on their website at www.eoc.org.uk.
	The merits of equal pay reviews in addressing the gender pay gap were most recently independently examined by the Women and Work Commission. The commission found that there were pros and cons to undertaking an equal pay review depending on the issues or activities which have most potential impact on women's opportunities and pay in a particular company or sector. For example, there may not be any unlawful inequality in pay between men and women but greater access to flexible working could enable more women to reach higher and better paid positions in an organisation or company.

Job Sharing

Anne Moffat: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps she is taking to encourage employers to provide job shares.

Meg Munn: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 28 February 2006, Official Report, column 658W.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Advanced Skills Teacher Programme

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial support the Department has committed to the advanced skills teacher programme.

Jacqui Smith: Since the introduction of the Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) grade in 1998 the Department has provided grant funding for AST posts through the Standards Fund.
	By the end of 2007–08 the Department will have committed £455 million through the standards fund to the AST programme, made up of £310 million in government grant and £145 million in required local authority contributions.
	Since April 2004 the level of grant funding specifically for ASTs has been fixed nationally to reflect the number of posts in existence in each local authority at the start of that financial year. New local funding flexibilities mean that schools and local authorities can chose to fund additional AST posts either using delegated funding or other appropriate grant funding.
	In addition to this the Department funds the external assessment of teachers against the AST standards which applicants for AST posts must meet. Total funding for AST assessment up to and including financial year 2004–05 is £3.4 million. Figures for 2005–06 are not yet available.

Arson

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total number of arson attacks was for the 100 (a) primary and (b) secondary schools with the (i) highest and (ii) lowest percentage of children receiving free school meals in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is not available.

Children's Centres

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children's centres have been established in each month since November 2004; what the location is of each; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I have placed in the Library copies of a table listing the numbers of children's centres designated in each month since November 2004. The figure for each month is broken down by local authority.
	The first phase of children's centres from 2004–06 focused on creating children's centres in the most disadvantaged areas of the country, building largely on existing provision. Children's centres were offering services to over 650,000 children by the end of March 2006.
	For phase 2 (2006–08), centres will begin to be established in the relatively less disadvantaged areas, to meet the interim objective of creating 2,500 children's centres by March 2008. Our aim is to have 3,500 children's centres across the country by 2010, one for every community.

Creationism

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the teaching of creationism in schools in England.

Jacqui Smith: Creationism is not taught as a subject in schools, and is not specified in the science curriculum.
	The National Curriculum for science clearly sets down that pupils should be taught that the fossil record is evidence for evolution, and how variation and selection may lead to evolution or extinction.
	Creationism could be discussed in RE lessons as one of the many religious views on how the world was created.

Education Expenditure

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the total public expenditure per head of population on (a) capital and (b) running costs of education was for the Metropolitan area of (i)Greater Manchester, (ii) West Yorkshire, (iii) South Yorkshire, (iv) West Midlands, (v) Merseyside, (vi) Tyne and Wear and (vii) South Tyneside in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the total public expenditure per head of population on (a) capital and (b) running costs of education was in (i) London and (ii) each of the English regions in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: Information on education expenditure is not collected on the basis requested. Annual expenditure returns are made on the basis of current local authority areas, and do not relate expenditure to general population. It would be possible to aggregate local authority figures to give overall figures for current Government Office regions, but these would again not be related to population.

Equal Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are undertaken within her Department to ensure that women are obtaining equal pay to men doing work of equal value.

Maria Eagle: The Department carries out equal pay reviews. The gender analysis, covering the three-year pay settlement from April 2003 to March 2006, did not identify any inequality in the pay of women.

EU Students (Loans)

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students from other EU member states who received loans for study at a higher education institution in England defaulted on repayment of those loans in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: For the past five years students from other EU member states have not been entitled to student loans.

Exclusions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the exclusion rates were for the 100 (a) primary and (b) secondary schools with the (i) highest and (ii) lowest percentage of children receiving free school meals in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information has been placed in the Library. Figures relate to children educated in schools in England only.
	Exclusions data for the 2004/05 academic year are expected to be available in June 2006.

Exclusions

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Educationand Skills how many pupils in (a) Wakefield District and (b) Normanton constituency have been permanently excluded from school in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the tables.
	Figures for the number of permanent exclusions during 2004/05 academic year are expected to be available in June 2006.
	
		Maintained primary and secondary schools: Number of permanent exclusions 1999/2000 to 2003/04
		
			  Permanent exclusions 
			 Wakefield Primary Secondary 
			 district Number Percentage(5) Number Percentage(5) 
		
		
			 1999/2000 6 0.02 47 0.23 
			 2000/01(6) 4 0.01 34 0.16 
			 2001/02(6) 11 0.04 56 0.26 
			 2002/03(6) (7)— (7)— 40 0.18 
			 2003/04(6) 4 0.01 40 0.18 
		
	
	
		
			  Permanent exclusions 
			 Normanton parliamentary Primary Secondary 
			 constituency Number Percentage(5) Number Percentage(5) 
		
		
			 1999/2000 (7)— (7)— 14 0.26 
			 2000/01(6) 0 0.00 14 0.25 
			 2001/02(6) (7)— (7)— 12 0.21 
			 2002/03(6) (7)— (7)— 10 0.17 
			 2003/04(6) 0 0.00 8 0.14 
		
	
	(5)The number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils on the school roll in January of the same school year. Excludes dually registered pupils.
	(6)There are known quality issues with exclusions data for these years. Figures shown here are as reported by schools but are unconfirmed and should be used with caution.
	(7)1 or 2 exclusions, or a rate based on 1 or 2 exclusions
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Extended School Hours

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding is available to ensure extended school hours are available to children in Burnley and Padiham.

Beverley Hughes: Over 2003–08 we are making available £840 million nationally to support the development of extended services accessed in or through schools. £9,871,039 of this will go to Lancashire over the period 2005–08. Local authorities are responsible for the distribution of funding in their area so that they can plan services across schools and communities. We do not breakdown funding by parliamentary constituency.
	Lancashire has to date received £1.8 million, and will receive £3,531,061 in 2006–07 and £4,515,291 in 2007–08. Funding will be released to schools in accordance with each local authority's strategy for extended services.

Looked-after Children

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total number of looked after children was in each local authority in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is provided in a table entitled Children looked after at 31 March by local authorities, 1997–2005" which can be accessed on the DfES website at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/VOL/v000646/index.shtml.

Looked-after Children

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have been taken into care in each local authority in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is provided in a table entitled Children who started to be looked after by local authorities in the years ending 1997 to 2005" which can be accessed on the DfES website at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/VOL/v000646/index.shtml.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by her Department in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Transport on 27 April, Official Report, column 1226W.

Nuffield Speech and Language Unit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health about the future of the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit.

Ruth Kelly: None.

Nuffield Speech and Language Unit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will place in the Library copies of letters she has received about the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit.

Ruth Kelly: I have not received any letters about the Nuffield Speech and Language Unit.

Prison Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will list the mentoring programmes run by charitable organisations in prisons;
	(2)  if she will increase the role of mentoring in prison education.

Phil Hope: Information is not collected on the individual programmes run by the voluntary and community sector in prisons. The use of mentors is promoted in the 'Offender's Learning Journey' that sets out the offer to prisoners.
	Plans to increase the role of mentoring are set out in our recent Green Paper 'Reducing Re-Offending through Skills and Employment'. This will play an important part of our new and stronger focus on employment for prisoners as well as supporting the delivery of literacy, numeracy and communications skills.

Prison Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research has been undertaken by her Department into the impact of education and training on reconviction.

Phil Hope: Research on reconviction rates is a matter for the Home Office and they are undertaking a research study 'Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction' (SPCR). In our recent Green Paper 'Reducing Re-Offending Through Skills and Employment' we outlined that there is research evidence to indicate that improving skills and employment for offenders can have a positive impact on the incidence of re-offending. In particular, evidence strongly suggests that employment and offending are linked, although this relationship is complex.

Prison Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department has taken to inform the general public of the purpose and importance of prison education.

Phil Hope: A communications campaign is being conducted to inform the public about the importance of learning and skills for all offenders, whether in prison or under supervision in the community. This is promoted through the DfES website, newsletters, conferences and seminars.
	The recently published Green Paper 'Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment' set out our future plans and its launch was covered in local, sectoral and national media.

Prison Education

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of education staff turnover rates in prisons in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: Educational staff are generally employed under contract by educational providers. The information requested is not held by the Prison Service or by Department for Education and Skills or could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Pupils (Lincolnshire)

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils attending Lincolnshire county council schools reside in North East Lincolnshire; and if she will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been provided in the following table.
	
		Percentage of pupils(11) attending schools maintained by Lincolnshire local authority (LA) residing within North East Lincolnshire LA
		
			  Number of pupils in schools maintained by Lincolnshire LA Number of pupils in residence in North East Lincolnshire LA attending schools maintained by Lincolnshire LA Percentage of pupils in residence in North East Lincolnshire LA attending schools maintained by Lincolnshire LA 
		
		
			 Primary(8) 45,145 77 0.2 
			 Secondary(9) 41,741 486 1.2 
			 Special(10) 1,116 2 0.2 
			 Total 88,011 565 0.6 
		
	
	(8)Includes middle deemed primary
	(9)Includes middle deemed secondary.
	(10)Includes special and non-maintained special.
	(11)Includes pupils aged 5 to 15 years, solely registered or main registration of dually registered pupils, excludes boarders.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census 2005.

Faith Schools

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what requirements are placed on maintained faith schools in relation to respecting the wishes of non-religious pupils and parents;
	(2)  what the legal responsibilities of (a) faith and (b) non-faith trust schools are in relation to (i)discrimination by religion in the employment of staff, (ii) the religious education syllabus, (iii) the holding of a daily act of worship and (iv) parental excusal from religious education and collective worship.

Jacqui Smith: Religious education must be provided for all registered pupils in maintained schools, including trust schools.
	All maintained schools, including trust schools, are under a statutory duty to provide a daily act of collective worship for all pupils. This will be of a general Christian nature unless the school is designated as having a religious character in which case the collective worship will be in the tenet of the faith school.
	Parents of pupils at all maintained schools can request that their children be withdrawn from any or all parts of religious education and collective worship and the school is expected to comply with the request.
	All schools, including trust schools but excluding voluntary aided schools with a religious designation, will follow the locally agreed syllabus for religious education as drawn up by Standing Committee on Religious Education and agreed by the local authority.
	Trust schools are foundation schools with a foundation. Where this is a religious foundation and the school is designated as having a religious character the Governing Body, as employers, may take into account any candidates' suitability and ability to preserve and develop the religious character of the school in the appointment of the headteacher and reserve teachers in the schools.
	The aforementioned flexibilities do not apply to non-faith schools. There are no such provisions for the appointment of other teaching staff or non-teaching staff.
	In addition, all employers need to have regard to their responsibilities under employment and European law relating to equal opportunities.

Service Children's Education

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of key stage 3 pupils from service children's education schools achieved levels (a) 3, (b) 4, (c) 5, (d) 6, (e) 7 and (f) 8 in (i) English, (ii) mathematics and (iii) science during the academic year 2004–05.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is shown as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils achieving: 
			  3 4 5 6 7 8 Total(12) 
		
		
			 English
			 Boys 0 20 50 21 3 — 100 
			 Girls 0 9 51 29 5 — 100 
			 All 0 14 51 25 4 — 100 
			 
			 Mathematics
			 Boys 2 13 18 36 23 5 100 
			 Girls 3 9 22 39 20 4 100 
			 All 2 11 20 38 21 5 100 
			 
			 Science
			 Boys 0 15 38 33 10 — 100 
			 Girls 1 19 43 29 5 — 100 
			 All 1 17 40 31 8 — 100 
		
	
	(12)The total includes absent pupils (A), pupil below the level assessed by the test (B) and pupils not awarded a test level (N). This analysis is based on approximately 500 pupils who sat the 2005 KS3 tests.

Sexual Acitivity (Under-16s)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will estimate the number of individuals under the age of 16 years who were sexually active in each of the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: We estimate that between a quarter and a third of young people have sex before age 16. This estimate is based on figures from NATSAL 2000 (National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles), which showed that 30 per cent. of boys and 26 per cent. of girls had sex under-16 and the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Evaluation Tracking Survey for each year between 2000 and 2004, which shows on average 27 per cent. of boys and 29 per cent. of girls have had sex before age 16. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Evaluation Tracking Survey reports no change in the proportion of young people having sex before age 16 over the first 4 years of the strategy.

Specialist Schools

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools there are in England, broken down by specialism; and how many of such schools are electing to select up to 10 per cent. of their intake by aptitude.

Jacqui Smith: There are currently 2502 designated specialist schools (2378 operational): 408 Arts; 217 Business and Enterprise; 47 Engineering; 72 Humanities; 216 Languages; 222 Maths and Computing; 18 Music; 282 Science; 345 Sports; 583 Technology; 80 Combined and 12 with a Special Educational Needs (SEN) specialism.
	Specialist schools are bound by the school admissions code of practice. Relatively few specialist schools select by aptitude, our figures suggest that 45 schools or 6.5 per cent. of schools that were specialist in summer 2001 did so.

Teacher Selection

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action her Department takes to prevent advocates of terrorism obtaining positions as teachers.

Jacqui Smith: While the ultimate responsibility for considering the professional suitability of recruits lies with the individual governing bodies and with the local authorities as the employers of teachers, the Department plays a key role in supporting them in this process. We have provided comprehensive guidance highlighting the importance of thorough checks on anybody who will be working in schools, emphasising the need for governing bodies and local authorities to employ appropriate rigour in ensuring unsuitable people cannot obtain positions in our schools.
	All initial teacher training providers are required to interview applicants for teacher training, enabling them to explore their personal qualities and potential to meet the professional values and practices of those aspiring to teach. These values include respect for other people, a positive attitude towards learning, respect for cultural diversity and social responsibility.
	The Terrorism Act which gained royal assent on 30 March makes it an offence to 'encourage terrorism' and we have made it clear in successive guidance that CRB checks are strongly recommended as part of the appointment process on anybody who will be working in schools. In addition, the Secretary of State recently announced that existing arrangements will become compulsory for schools through proposed amendments to regulations to be made under sections 35 and 36 of the Education Act 2002 (and section 72 of the School Standards and Framework Act (SSFA) 1998)—this will affect amendments to the current School Staffing (England) Regulations 2003 and will make an 'on appointment' CRB check compulsory for all new appointments to the schools workforce.
	We place great trust in the professionalism and dedication of teachers and the wider school workforce and expect that they will leave personal prejudices at home. Where we find that teachers have not behaved professionally the General Teaching Council (GTC) has the necessary power to remove those teachers from schools. Through their Statement of Professional Values and Practices and their Code of Conduct and Practice for registered teachers they have the means to ensure that a person espousing support for terrorism could be prevented from entering the profession or, if already a registered teacher, called before a disciplinary hearing. The sanctions available to the GTC include prohibition from practice as a registered teacher.

Teacher Selection

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what restrictions there are on individuals who have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment obtaining employment as teachers.

Maria Eagle: A decision by an educational establishment on whether or not to appoint an individual into its workforce should take into account, in addition to a list 99 check, the standard previous employers' references, qualifications check and (in the case of teachers) General Teaching Council for England registration, as well as a criminal records check from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).
	Individuals who have been convicted of certain offences will be automatically barred from working with children in an education setting, under the Department's list 99. In other cases, the Secretary of State, taking advice from Sir Roger Singleton's expert panel, may decide to bar an individual convicted of other offences, even if those offences do not result in an automatic bar.
	Where an individual is not barred from working with children in an education setting, and following receipt of the CRB disclosure, an offer of employment is at the discretion of the employer. The Department cannot advise employers whether or not they should employ a particular person but in deciding the relevance of convictions current guidance 1 states a number of points should be considered:
	The nature of the offence
	In general, convictions for sexual, violent or drug offences will be particularly strong contra-indications for work with children.
	The nature of the appointment
	Often the nature of the appointment will help to assess the relevance of the conviction. For example, serious sexual, violent, drug or drink offences would give rise to particular concern where a position was one of providing care. Driving or drink offences would be relevant in situations involving transport of children.
	The age of the offence
	Offences which took place many years in the past may often have less relevance than recent offences. However, convictions for serious violent or sexual offences or serious offences involving substance abuse are more likely to give cause for continuing concern than, for instance, an isolated case of dishonesty committed when the person was young. The potential for rehabilitation must be weighed against the need to protect children.
	The frequency of the offence
	A series of offences over a period of time is more likely to give cause for concern than an isolated minor conviction.
	The CRB has also produced guidance for employers on judging the suitability of applicants.
	1 'Child Protection: Preventing Unsuitable People from Working with Children and Young Persons in the Education Service', Ref:DfES/0278/2002, issued May 2002.

Teachernet Website

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hits the teachernet website received in each month of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The Department has reduced the number of websites for schools over the last 2 years. It now manages just three main portals (TeacherNet, GovernorNet and the Standards Site) which contain important information and resources for members of the schools workforce. Extensive work is currently being undertaken to rationalise and migrate these three portals into a single new online service. This is due to be fully completed in mid-2007.
	The following table shows the number of hits received by the TeacherNet website each month for the last two years.
	
		
			  
		
		
			 March 2006 37,363,271 March 2005 27,501,009 
			 February 2006 31,494,483 February 2005 26,440,032 
			 January 2006 37,241,118 January 2005 29,183,678 
			 December 2005 24,060,325 December 2004 18,046,712 
			 November 2005 35,312,527 November 2004 29,959,059 
			 October 2005 34,060,109 October 2004 26,390,921 
			 September 2005 31,632,303 September 2004 25,351,729 
			 August 2005 17,024,394 August 2004 14,200,461 
			 July 2005 23,128,655 July 2004 18,380,721 
			 June 2005 27,427,281 June 2004 22,665,026 
			 May 2005 28,573,698 May 2004 30,089,504 
			 April 2005 28,382,229 April 2004 26,989,786

Teachers (Preparation Time)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of progress on the implementation of the scheme for allowing time for all teachers for planning, preparation and assessment.

Jacqui Smith: We, our partners on the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group and the Training and Development Agency for Schools-Development Directorate (TDA D-formerly the National Remodelling Team) have been working, and continue to work, with schools and local authorities in England to make sure that planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time for teachers is both introduced successfully and sustained.
	The latest information we have indicates that almost every school has successfully introduced PPA time, using a range of strategies including greater use of support staff. The TDA-D is actively supporting those schools that have yet to fully implement PPA through its extensive network of local remodelling advisers and is also working to ensure that all schools have sustainable PPA solutions.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Financial Assistance Scheme

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much public money the Government estimate, in net present value terms, will be required for the Financial Assistance Scheme over the next 40 years to cover benefits promised to all those within three years of scheme pension age as at May 2004.

Stephen Timms: We estimate that the Financial Assistance Scheme will cost £280 million in net present value terms over the next 40 years.

Pathways to Work

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Pathways to Work participants have made use of (a) job brokering, (b) the condition management programme and (c) return to work credit.

Margaret Hodge: The information is in the following table.
	
		Proportion of Pathways to Work participants and of Choices starts in Pathways -- Percentage
		
			  Registered with a New Deal for Disabled People Job Broker Referred to the Condition Management Programme Awarded the Return to Work Credit 
			  All new claimants in Pathways areas Claimants who volunteer to participate in Choices Programme All new claimants in Pathways areas Claimants who volunteer to participate in Choices Programme All new claimants in Pathways areas Claimants who volunteer to participate in Choices Programme 
		
		
			 Existing customers-volunteers 12 62 8 32 27 30 
			 New/Repeat mandatory customers 6 54 5 40 7 17 
			 Existing customers-mandatory extension 6 27 11 47 3 Not Available 
		
	
	Note:
	Data is to October 2005.
	Source:
	Pathways to Work Evaluation Database.

HEALTH

Blood Products

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has carried out an internal review into the use of blood and plasma products infected with HIV and hepatitis C; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not carried out an internal review into the use of blood and plasma products infected with HIV and hepatitis C. However, on 27 February the Department published a report, 'Self-Sufficiency in Blood Products in England and Wales'. This report was the result of an internal review of papers on self-sufficiency in blood products.
	The review was commissioned following suggestions that the policy of self-sufficiency in blood products during the 1970's and early 1980's might have prevented haemophilia patients being treated with infected blood products. The report makes clear that self-sufficiency in blood products would not have prevented the infection of haemophilia patients.

Care Homes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State forHealth what the Government's policy is on care homes.

Liam Byrne: The Government believe that care homes provide an important part of the social care service. They are one of a range of options that should be available for supporting people with long-term care needs. The Government recognise that most people want to live in their own home for as long as possible, but that there will always be some whose needs are such that care in a care home will be best for them.
	Service users should have a choice about where and how the receive they care they need. No one should be admitted into a care home until all other options have been explored and discussed with the service user, their carers and relatives. To enable people to have real choice about the type of care they receive, the Government have encouraged substantial investment in care settings, such as domiciliary care and extra care housing.
	Under the Care Standards Act 2000 and the Health and Social Care Act 2003, the Government have set up an independent inspection and regulation regime. All care homes in England are registered and inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI).
	CSCI regulates care homes in accordance with statutory regulations and national minimum standards. CSCI has strong enforcement powers and will take action to raise the quality of care and ensure a high level of protection for vulnerable people.

Carers (Respite)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps her Department has taken to provide respite support for carers as set out in paragraph 5.55 of the 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' Health White Paper;
	(2)  by what date she expects carers to be able to call upon respite support as set out in paragraph 5.55 of the 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' Health White Paper, broken down by local authority area; and what criteria will be used to allocate such support.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 2 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1532–33W.

Chiropody Care

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general hospitals provide free chiropody care for patients who require such treatment other than as part of other clinical treatment.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts to commission services to meet the needs of their local population.

Continuing Care

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received fully funded NHS continuing care in each year since 2002, broken down by strategic health authority; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not available in the format requested.
	A count of the numbers of people receiving national health service continuing care on 31 March of each year is reported in local delivery plan reports, and the available information for each strategic health authority (SHA) is in the table.
	
		Number of people receiving continuing care as at 31 March
		
			  2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 All SHAs 17,019 19,723 20,842 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 127 435 411 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 700 830 604 
			 Essex 834 698 465 
			 North West London 500 1,468 1,998 
			 North Central London 294 320 355 
			 North East London 812 733 809 
			 South East London 635 580 651 
			 South West London 232 433 523 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 461 1,081 916 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 904 1,374 1,197 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 410 705 442 
			 West Yorkshire 1,374 688 618 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 343 376 252 
			 Greater Manchester 1,039 984 936 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 1,084 1,074 1,153 
			 Thames Valley 259 632 920 
			 Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 673 530 1,141 
			 Kent and Medway 770 770 883 
			 Surrey and Sussex 1,047 719 961 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 927 741 653 
			 South West Peninsula 239 516 406 
			 Dorset and Somerset 94 241 428 
			 South Yorkshire 216 192 103 
			 Trent 509 928 1,147 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 137 215 602 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 673 663 453 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 1,165 1,107 1,119 
			 West Midlands South 561 690 696 
		
	
	Note:
	Data are only collected annually in Q4 of each year (LDPR, line 8228)
	Later this month we plan to publish for consultation a national framework for NHS continuing care which will give further clarity and consistency on the responsibilities of NHS and social services for long term care. The national framework will include guidance on the processes and considerations to take into account when making decisions on the responsibility of the NHS and social services for long-term care.

Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what legislation RU 486 is regulated in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: RU 486 (Mifegyne, mifepristone) is an anti-progestogenic steroid medicine, which is licensed for use in medical abortion. The legislation under which RU 486 is authorised for marketing in the United Kingdom is the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations Etc.) Regulations 1994. These regulations implement Directive 2001/83/EC, the European Community Code relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use. The sale and supply of RU 486 is also subject to restrictions in Part III of the Medicines Act 1968 and orders and regulations made under that Part. Clinical trials of RU 486 are subject to the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004, which implement Directive 2001/20/EC.
	As with all medicines, the safety of RU 486 is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Debt Recovery

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the merits of using private debt collection agencies to recover debts owed to her Department.

Liam Byrne: As most of the Department's debtors are other national health service bodies it is not deemed appropriate to use a debt collection agency.

Dentistry

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements exist under the new dentists' contract to ensure that domiciliary treatment is provided to patients in cases where there is a medical need for it.

Rosie Winterton: Domiciliary services are one of the additional services, under a general dental services contract or personal dental services agreement, which the primary care trust may commission separately to meet the need for domiciliary services in its area.

Dentistry

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in Milton Keynes have (a) signed and (b) declined to sign the new NHS contract.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of dentists who have signed the new contract and the number who have not signed is not available centrally. We do however have some provisional information that covers contracts. A contract may well be for more than one dentist so cannot be broken down further to individual dentist level.
	
		
			  Number/percentage 
		
		
			 Contracts signed  
			 Number 24 
			 Approximate units of dental activity (UDA) value 245,600 
			   
			 Contracts still in discussion  
			 Number 0 
			 Approximate UDA value 0 
			   
			 Contracts rejected  
			 Number 5 
			 Approximate UDA value 19,982 
			 UDAs (percentage) 7.5 
			 Contracts signed  
			 Number signed without dispute 8 
			 Number signed in dispute 16 
			 Disputes (percentage) 66.7 
		
	
	Note:
	The information provided is not validated. It represents a snapshot of the position in early April 2006.
	A contract may be for either a practice or an individual dentist.
	Primary care trusts are working with dentists to resolve as many disputes as possible locally.

Departmental Leave (Stress)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff have been on sick leave suffering from stress in the Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total staff number this represents.

Liam Byrne: The Department records stress related sickness absence under the umbrella category of mental illness and therefore figures reflecting absences from stress are not available.
	A new sickness absence management policy has been launched that provides managers with guidance and support in their management of sickness within their teams.
	A monthly workforce information report is published identifying the main areas of absence encouraging senior managers to focus their attention on the critical areas.

East Sussex Primary Care Trust

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the representations received by Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority from organisations and individuals who supported (a) a single East Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) and (b) two PCTs within East Sussex to include a separate PCT for Hastings and Rother.

Caroline Flint: This information requested is not held centrally, however Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (SHA) have been asked to provide details to my hon. Friend directly.
	The local consultation on primary care trust reconfiguration in East Sussex was managed by Surrey and Sussex SHA and it is for them to provide information about respondents to the local consultation.

Easter Celebrations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of Easter celebrations in NHS hospitals in 2006.

Liam Byrne: The Department has no central record of this information which cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

End of Life Care

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had on improving end of life care; and who participated in those discussions.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 2 May 2006
	The public's views about end of life care were sought as part of the consultation leading up to the publication of Our health, our care, our say" White Paper (Cm 6737). The Secretary of State and other members of the ministerial team attended regional consultation events in Gateshead, Leicester and London and a national citizen's summit in Birmingham which was attended by nearly 1,000 people.
	The Secretary of State is due to meet Marie Curie Cancer Care, the National Council for Palliative Care and the Association for Children's Hospices to discuss the White Paper commitment on end of life care in the near future.

Endometriosis

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been made available for endometriosis research in each of the last 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC). The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office of Science and Innovation.
	MRC expenditure in the 10 years of research into endometriosis started from 1997–98 and is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 1997–98 1.7 
			 1998–99 1.8 
			 1999–2000 1.8 
			 2000–01 1.2 
			 2001–02 1.2 
			 2002–03 1.0 
			 2003–04 1.2 
		
	
	The MRC does not normally allocate funds to particular topics. Research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. When appropriate, high quality research in particular areas of strategic importance may be given priority in competition for funds, but research excellence and importance to health continues to be the primary considerations in funding decisions. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding.
	The Department funds research to support policy and to provide the evidence needed to underpin quality improvement and service development in the NHS. The Department's national research programme has, since 1997, funded one project related to endometriosis at a cost to 31 March 2004 of £320,000.
	Over 75 per cent. of the Department's total expenditure on health research is devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of completed and ongoing projects, including a number concerned with endometriosis, can be found on the national research register on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/research.

Equal Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are undertaken within her Department to ensure that women are obtaining equal pay to men doing work of equal value.

Liam Byrne: The Department is committed to reviewing our pay systems on a regular basis and to prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps. Any equality proofing is undertaken in consultation with our trade unions. Departmental managers are asked to consider equal pay issues when setting starting pay and awarding pay flexibilities.
	We undertook an equal pay analysis of our current systems in 2005 which did not indicate gender issues.

Fluoridation Schemes

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 March 2006 to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Donohoe), Official Report, column 1062W, on fluoridation schemes, if she will add hon. Members for relevant constituencies to the list of those whom strategic health authorities are advised to notify of proposals for water fluoridation.

Caroline Flint: The Department will amend the ChiefDental Officer's letter of September 2005 to advise strategic health authorities to notify Members of Parliament with constituencies that would be affected when they are undertaking a consultation about a fluoridation scheme.

Folic Acid

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received in the last 12 months on the effects of folic acid ingestion on the elderly.

Liam Byrne: Over the last 12 months, there were 32 responses to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's consultation on its draft report on folate and disease prevention, Of the 32, 13 responses covered vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly. The Department, together with the Food Standards Agency, has also received parliamentary questions as well as letters from hon. Members and from members of the public on the subject.

Food Supplements

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of (a) the number of food supplements on the market which contain boron and (b) the value of (i) wholesale and (ii)retail annual sales of such supplements; and whether she plans to have discussions with industry representatives about the potential impact of decisions by the European Union not to permit the use of boron in food supplements;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the implications for the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements of the decision of the General Food Law section of the European Union's Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health on 9 February not to permit the addition of boron to the list of ingredients permitted under the provisions of the Directive on Foods for Particular Nutritional Purposes; whether she plans to make representations to (a) the European Commission and (b) the German Government on this matter; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what Government policy is on boron in food supplements; and what assessment she has made of the implications of this decision for objectives for the setting of maximum permitted levels of nutrients in food supplements;

Caroline Flint: A decision has not yet been taken at the standing committee on the food chain and animal health on the addition of boron to the list of ingredients permitted under the provisions of the directive on foods for particular nutritional purposes or of the food supplements directive. An assessment of the number or market value of food supplements containing boron that are available in the United Kingdom has not been made.
	The Government supports the addition of boron to the positive list in the food supplements directive, and supplements containing boron are permitted on the UK market.
	The outcome of recent discussions at the European Commission (EC) standing committee on the food chain and animal health on the use of boron in food supplements was discussed at a meeting with industry representatives on 15 March 2005.
	Representations have been made to the EC and the German authorities regarding the UK position on the addition of boron to the positive lists of the directives on food supplements and foods for particular nutritional uses.
	Any substance on the positive list in the food supplements directive will be subject to the provisions of the directive. This includes making provisions for establishing maximum levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The EC has indicated that it will bring forward discussion documents at the end of 2006 to consult stakeholders and member states on this issue.

Freedom of Information

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department issues to primary care trusts on charges made for freedom of information requests.

Liam Byrne: The Department has not issued any guidance to primary care trusts (PCTs) on charges made for freedom of information requests. PCTs are public authorities in their own right in terms of the Act and therefore have the option to charge in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 and following the guidance on the regulations provided by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

General Practitioners

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners in each primary care trust are participating in out-of-hours work in the same area as they are registered as a general practitioner.

Liam Byrne: The information is not collected by the Department. It is for individual primary care trusts to ensure that out-of-hours provision in their areas continue to be improved and developed into a better service for patients.

General Practitioners

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of the new general practitioner contract on clinical outcomes.

Liam Byrne: The new general medical services contract was introduced in April 2004. Part of the contract is the quality and outcomes framework (QOF), which rewards practices for the work they do rather than simply the number of patients they treat. High achievement in the first year of the QOF (over 91 per cent., average achievement of points) means that patients are receiving a higher standard of care and treatment from their local general practitioner practices.
	Research by the national primary care research and development centre at the University of Manchester (published in the Journal of Quality and Satisfaction in Healthcare in 2004) shows that significant health gains could result from achieving the quality targets in the QOF. The research estimated the amount of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and death, which could be prevented over five years in a general practice population of 10,000.
	Reaching the cholesterol reduction targets could prevent, in an average practice, 15 events in people with coronary heart disease, seven events in people with a history of stroke and seven events in people with diabetes. Achieving blood pressure control targets in hypertensive patients without those conditions could prevent 15 cardiovascular events.
	The amount of health gain is sensitive to current quality of care, prevalence of conditions and risk factors. Nevertheless, it is clear that achievement of QOF targets across the country could prevent thousands of serious events, including deaths, from cardiovascular disease.

Health Care Staff

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department is taking to ensure placements and employment for medical and other health care staff at all levels who will be completing their training in 2006.

Liam Byrne: The Department has provided the national health service with funding to provide more than enough foundation programme year 1 posts, for all graduates from English medical schools in 2006–07.
	There are still lots of job opportunities within the NHS, with NHS Jobs advertising between 3,000 and 4,000 jobs at any given time.
	The NHS still needs newly qualified staff to replace those who retire or take career breaks. However there is now more competition and new staff may not always be able to find the job they want in the location they want and may need to be more flexible.
	Strategic health authorities and NHS trusts are working proactively to find slots for both clinical placements and newly qualified staff within their overall work force plans.

Imported Blood Products

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department (a) asked and (b) required individuals with haemophilia to sign a waiver in 1991 intended to block legal redress in the event of infection with hepatitis C from NHS blood products after a hepatitis C test was completed; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: In 1988, a special payments scheme was introduced for haemophiliacs infected with HIV through blood products. This scheme is administered by the Macfarlane Trust. In 1991, as part of a settlement of court proceedings a further lump sum payment was made under the scheme for haemophilia patients infected with HIV. From that time, all beneficiaries of the Trust have been required to sign a waiver undertaking not to take legal action against the Department or any other public body in respect of infection from HIV, or hepatitis viruses. It is usual in litigation that when a settlement is reached, claimants cannot then reopen the proceedings.
	We deeply regret that so many people with haemophilia were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through blood products. In 2004, the Government set up the Skipton Fund to administer the ex-gratia payment scheme for people infected with hepatitis C from national health service blood or blood products.

Malnutrition

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received on nutrition, under-nutrition and malnutrition in each year since 2000.

Caroline Flint: Since 2000, the Department has received Parliamentary Questions, letters from hon. Members and letters from members of the public on nutrition, under nutrition and malnutrition. Letters have also been sent to the Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive, as well as Departmental officials in the nutrition team. Similar representations on these subjects have also been received by the Food Standards Agency. These representations are from a wide variety of sources.

Malnutrition

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will specify nutrition standards for meals supplied to patients and service users by (a) nursing homes, (b) residential homes, (c) hospitals and (d) meals on wheels and lunch clubs.

Liam Byrne: Food and nutrition in nursing and residential homes is extensively covered in the existing 'Care Homes for Older People—National Minimum Standards', which is available in the Library. The national minimum standards, which the Commission for Social Care Inspection has to take into account when it inspects homes against the Care Homes Regulations 2001, address food and nutrition from various perspectives, including nutritional content, religious or cultural requirements, preparation and hygiene and the social value of meals and mealtimes.
	'Standards for Better Health', which is available in the Library, requires health care organisations, including hospitals, to offer patients a choice of food, which is safely prepared, provides a balanced diet and meets their individual nutritional, personal and clinical dietary requirements. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for any provider treating national health service patients and is measured via the Healthcare Commission's annual health check process.
	Nutritional standards in hospitals are also included in the Essence of Care framework for clinical governance, launched in February 2001. The Essence of Care benchmarking guidance and toolkit was published in April 2003. This includes guidelines that all hospital patients should be screened and assessed to identify their nutritional needs and that further assessment will take place for all patients identified as at risk. Plans of care, based on ongoing nutritional assessments, will be devised, implemented and evaluated for those patients who need them.
	'Essence of Care' is available at:
	www.modern.nhs.uk/home/key/docs/Essence%20of%20 Care.pdf.
	A copy has been placed in the library.
	The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is contributing to improving the nutrient and food intake as provided by major public institutions, including nursing homes, residential homes, hospitals and meals on wheels or lunch clubs across the United Kingdom. This will include the development of nutrient and food-based guidance as well as example menus to assist caterers in menu planning, both of which will meet nutritional guidance.
	The FSA has met with the National Association of Care Caterers and the Women's Royal Voluntary Services and they are supportive of this work.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether applications to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for European procedures in handling product licence applications are given priority over national procedure applications; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Applications to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for product licences should be handled within the timescales established by legislation. The medicines directive implemented into United Kingdom legislation requires us to take all appropriate measures to ensure that authorisation procedures are completed within 210 days of submission of a valid application.
	However, the legislation also establishes additional timescales, which must be met where the authorisation is to be granted following European procedures amongst one or more other member states or within the entire community. For example, within the so-called mutual recognition procedure, we must make sure to have completed our scientific evaluation within 90 days. And within the community-wide centralised procedure, we must complete our scientific assessment within 80 days.
	These tighter European procedural timescales do dictate that such applications receive some priority within the MHRA since to do otherwise might mean that we were obliged to allow marketing of the product in the UK regardless of any concerns we may have for its quality, safety or efficacy.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the length of time taken by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to acknowledge an application for a product licence (a) is measured and (b) is included in the processing time reported by the agency.

Jane Kennedy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has included the time it takes to receive and acknowledge applications for product licences in its overall processing times. However, for incomplete or potentially invalid applications the time taken by the company to correct the application is not included in the processing times. Incomplete or potentially invalid applications include those not accompanied by appropriate data or documents, submitted under the wrong legal basis or without payment of the correct fee.
	The MHRA information management system sends the applicant a notification of receipt letter as soon as the application is entered into the database and showing the date on which the application was received. A subsequent acknowledgement of submission letter is sent to the applicant as soon as the application has been validated and is ready for the start of assessment.
	The MHRA measures the time taken to enter submissions onto the database and to complete their validation as part of its internal monitoring of business processes.

Misoprostol

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research her Department has evaluated on the (a) uses and (b) effects of the drug misoprostol; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Misoprostol is a synthetic analogue of a naturally occurring hormone (prostaglandin). As a licensed medicine, the uses and effects of misoprostol are evaluated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
	Misoprostol is licensed for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It can be given alone, or combined with NSAIDs such as diclofenac or naproxen, and is effective in reducing gastric acidity, which may be the cause of ulcers. Misoprostol is especially suitable for the frail and elderly who need to take long-term NSAIDs for arthritic conditions, and who are therefore at risk of ulcers.
	As with all medicines, misoprostol may be associated with side effects in some patients, and safety is continually monitored by the MHRA. The known side effects of this drug are described in product information for healthcare professionals and patients. When used for the treatment or prevention of gastrointestinal ulcers, the recognised adverse effects of misoprostol include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dyspepsia (indigestion), flatulence, nausea and vomiting, skin rashes and dizziness. As prostaglandin hormones also have effects on the lining of the uterus in women, misoprostol can also lead to vaginal bleeding.
	Doctors may decide to use a medicine outside the terms of the marketing authorisation, on their own responsibility, if they consider that it is in the best interests of their patients. Unlicensed uses of misoprostol include the induction of labour and medical abortion, where it is sometimes used in combination with other drugs such as mifepristone. This is in line with the advice of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in its evidence based clinical guideline. Side effects of misoprostol in unlicensed indications have been documented to include abnormal uterine contractions and haemorrhage, retained placenta, release of amniotic fluid into the circulation (embolism), incomplete abortion and premature birth.

NHS Appointments Commission

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2726W, on the Public Appointments Annual Report, when the NHS Appointments Commission will publish a list of the appointments to the bodies for which it is responsible.

Liam Byrne: Information on appointments to local national health service boards has been published by the NHS Appointments Commission and can be found on their website at: www.appointments.org.uk/publications.asp.
	Information on appointments to national bodies will be published shortly.

NHS Direct

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2006, Official Report, column 1824W, on NHS Direct, if she will make a statement on the growth in the cost of NHS Direct.

Liam Byrne: Since its inception in 1998, NHS Direct has grown from small-scale pilot sites to a substantial national service. The increased funding reflects the increased popularity of the service and the wider range of services provided. For example, the NHS Direct telephone service, launched in 1998, and nationally available from 2000, is now complemented by the NHS Direct Online website (1999) and the NHS Direct Interactive digital TV service (2004). This multi-channel service now handles around 2 million patient contacts each month compared to around 9,000 per month in 1998–99.
	In addition to the nationally directed service, NHS Direct now provides primary care trusts with a range of telephone-based solutions to support the delivery of their service objectives, including out of hours and unscheduled care; long-term care; outpatient services; and health information and access to local services.

NHS Pension Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the employer contribution rates to the NHS pension scheme are; what assumed rate of return underlies those contribution rates; and what the contribution rate would be if the assumed rate of return were in line with current redemption yield on index-linked gilts.

Liam Byrne: Current employer contribution rates to the national health service pension scheme are 14 per cent. of pensionable payroll, and the last actuarial valuation on which this recommendation was based assumed a rate of return of 3.5 per cent. The information on the impact of different actuarial and accounting assumptions can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

NHS Recruitment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthif she will place a duty on NHS bodies not to discriminate in their recruitment practices against applicants who have previously acted as whistle-blowers within the NHS.

Liam Byrne: Recruitment of staff in the national health service is a local matter. NHS employers are expected to have fair and transparent recruitment processes in place which comply with relevant legislation.
	The Department issued updated guidance in 2003 to support the development and remedy of whistle-blowing policies in the workplace.

Overseas Doctors

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of doctors, who are non-European Economic Area citizens work in the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The number of doctors employed in the national health service who qualified in non-European Economic Area countries is shown in the following table. No information is collected relating to the country of origin of NHS staff.
	
		General and personal medical services and hospital community health services (HCHS): All doctors(13)(5509150014)(15) by specified country of primary qualification group, England as at 30 September 2005 -- Number (headcount) and percentages
		
			  All countries of qualification All EEA countries EEA countries (percentage) All non-EEA countries Non-EEA countries (percentage) 
		
		
			 All doctors 119,017 86,057 72.3 32,960 27.7 
			   
			 All HCHS medical staff(14)(15) 83,073 55,762 67.1 27,311 32.9 
			   
			 All GPs(13) 35,944 30,295 84.3 5,649 15.7 
			 Of which:  
			 GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) 32,738 27,990 85.5 4,748 14.5 
			 GP registrars 2,564 1,684 65.7 880 34.3 
		
	
	(13)Practitioners includes contracted GPs, QMS Others, PMS Others, GP registrars and GP retainers
	(14)Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals
	(15)Excludes ail dental staff. Information about country of qualification is derived from the General Medical Council. For staff in dental specialties, with a General Dental Council registration, the country of qualification is therefore unknown.
	Sources:
	The Information Centre for health and social care medical and dental workforce census. The Information Centre for health and social care general & personal medical services Statistics

Pharmacies

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of pharmacists who are being held liable by an oxygen supplier for the loss or damage of oxygen cylinders.

Jane Kennedy: The supply of oxygen cylinders to pharmacies is a matter for agreement between the pharmacy and the oxygen supplier concerned. The Department does not hold information on these business arrangements and therefore cannot provide an estimate of the number of pharmacists held liable for loss or damage to cylinders.

Primary Care Trusts

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the revenue allocation per head of population is for each primary care trust in (a) 2007–08 and (b) 2006–07; and what the out-turn figures were in (i)2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06.

Liam Byrne: Information showing the revenue allocation per head of population for each primary care trust in 2007–08 and 2006–07 has been placed in the Library.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 10 March 2006, Official Report, column 1828W, in respect of 2004–05 expenditure per head. Expenditure per head figures for 2005–06 will be available in the autumn.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expected final outturn position is of Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust for the 2006–07 financial year.

Rosie Winterton: The financial plans for 2006–07 have not yet been finalised.

Primary Care Trusts

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which (a) frontline staff and (b) support staff posts Milton Keynes Primary Trust is considering removing funding.

Rosie Winterton: Funding is allocated directly to primary care trust (PCTs). It is for PCTs in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Sexual Health

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures her Department is implementing to encourage women aged between 16 and 24 to practise safer sex.

Caroline Flint: Our current plans are to aim to launch the next sexual health campaign later this year. This will target 16 to 34-year-old men and women but with a concentration on the key 16 to 24 year age bracket. The campaign will focus on the risks of unprotected sex and the benefits of using condoms to avoid sexually transmitted infections including HIV and unintended pregnancies.
	Also, the national chlamydia screening programme provides opportunistic screening for genital chlamydia infection and is offered to all sexually active women and men aged between 16 and 24 years old attending a variety of health and non health care settings in England. Every young person who accepts a chlamydia test is given an information leaflet which explains that using condoms every time they have sex can reduce the risks of getting or passing on chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
	This programme is linked to the implementation of the teenage pregnancy strategy, led by Department for Education and Skills, which seeks to both encourage young people to delay early sex and to improve their access to sexual health advice and services when they do become sexually active.
	The teenage pregnancy strategy is achieved through a national media campaign; improved delivery of sex and relationships education in schools, and by making services more young people friendly and delivered closer to the point of need—in schools, further education colleges and other youth settings. Since the start of the strategy, the under-18 conception rate has fallen by 11.1 per cent., to its lowest level since the mid-1980s.

Unsocial Hours Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Healthwhether unsocial hours payments are paid to (a) existing NHS Direct and (b) new NHS Direct staff; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: This information is not centrally held. It may be available from NHS Direct Special Health Authority and you may wish to contact the chairman of NHS Direct for details.

Voluntary Sector

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department is seeking to encourage further voluntary sector involvement in the provision of health services.

Liam Byrne: The Department is encouraging further voluntary third sector involvement in the commissioning and provision of health services as part of the implementation of commitments made in the recent White Paper, 'Our health, our care, our say', working with partners and agencies across the statutory and voluntary sectors at regional and national levels. The ministerial third sector commissioning task force, which was set up to strengthen the commercial relationship between the third sector and the public sector will be publishing a report in the summer. The report will make recommendations on removing obstacles to the third sector in the provision of health and social care.

Voluntary Sector

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect of the time taken to announce decisions on the allocation of section 64 funding to voluntary sector organisations in the health field on the work of these organisations.

Liam Byrne: The Department recognises the implications of the delay in notifying voluntary and community organisations of the result in their Section64 applications. Those organisations with a second or third year project will receive an interim amount equivalent to the first quarter payment, which will enable them to continue the project without interruption. Organisations still awaiting the outcome of the application for 2006–07 have been regularly informed of the situation by email and telephone for those organisations that have directly contacted the Department.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Child Soldiers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what sanctions his Department has taken against countries in breach of UN conventions on the employment and use of child soldiers.

Jack Straw: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has signed and ratified both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict and encourages all other states to do likewise.
	The UK actively supports work in the UN Security Council on this issue. UN Security Council resolution 1612 of July 2005 on children and armed conflict established a mechanism to monitor and report on grave violations against children, including the recruitment and use of child soldiers and a Security Council Working Group to make recommendations to the Council on possible measures to promote the protection of children.
	Security Council resolution 1612 also reaffirms the Security Council's intention to consider imposing multilateral sanctions against parties to situations of armed conflict which are on its agenda and are in violation of applicable international law relating to the rights and protection of children in armed conflict. Multilateral sanctions are usually applied taking into account a broad range of factors and have already been applied in relation to several conflict situations where the recruitment of child soldiers is a serious concern, such as those arising in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and Cote d'Ivoire. Relevant Security Council resolutions also call for those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law to be brought to justice, including where appropriate by the International Criminal Court (ICC). I welcome the transfer of the first individual indicted by the ICC, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, a national of the DRC, to The Hague on 17 March. He is charged with conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate actively in hostilities. The UK also works through the EU to promote the protection of children affected by armed conflict, including through Troika de"marches.

Development Objectives

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government are providing to developing countries in producing their 10 year plans on achieving their development objectives.

Gareth Thomas: The international community agreed at the 2005 World Summit that all countries would adopt and implement comprehensive national development strategies to achieve the millennium development goals.
	Many developing countries already have poverty reduction strategies or other national poverty plans, which set the agenda for development assistance from donors. We are working with the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme both to encourage developing countries to build these poverty plans into 10-year strategies for achieving the millennium development goals by 2015; and to ensure that donors agree with partner countries the increased development assistance necessary to finance them.
	Longer-term planning by developing countries and support by donors is particularly important in education and health. On 10 April, I and my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that the UK Government will provide $15 billion (approximately £8.5 billion) funding for education by 2015. This will help to give our partner countries confidence to prepare 10 year plans to achieve the education goals. DFID will be working with governments and through existing collective donor arrangements to support the development of these plans. In particular the Fast Track Initiative for education provides assistance with education planning and long-term predictable finance in support of plans to achieve education goals. DFID has doubled the UK's contribution to the Fast Track Initiative's Programme Development Fund to £5 million, and will be providing an additional £100 million to the Fast Track Initiative for education over the next two years.

EU Water Initiative

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people have received sanitation and clean water as a result of the implementation of the EU Water Initiative in the four years since its inception.

Gareth Thomas: The 25 EU member states and the European Commission are together the largest donors in Africa and in 2003–04 spent over £1.4 billion on water and sanitation. The EU Water Initiative (EUWI) was created to increase the impact of this aid, by co-ordinating efforts to ensure that the sector receives appropriate political profile and increased levels of investment. This is why we have been keen to make the Initiative work.
	DFID has been actively involved since the outset with the EUWI but like others, has been disappointed with slow progress. We are currently working with Tearfund and WaterAid to strengthen commitment to the Initiative across the EU and in particular to improve monitoring and accountability.
	One of the aims of the EUWI was to catalyse additional funding for water and sanitation and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP)—EU Water Facility (EUWF), was established in 2004 in response to this aim. In contrast to the EUWI, the EUWF is a funding mechanism. Although progress has been slow, mainly due to lengthy procurement procedures, approximately €230 million is now committed to co-fund 97 projects in ACP countries, which are valued at €412 million. An initial analysis of these selected proposals by the EUWF has found that by 2010 approximately 10 million people will benefit from access to drinking water and approximately 5 million people will benefit from access to basic sanitation. A second call for proposals has been launched this year and the full €500 million of the EUWF will be committed by 2007.

Governance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) India, (b) Bangladesh, (c) Pakistan, (d) Sri Lanka, (e) Botswana, (f) Cameroon, (g) Ghana, (h) Kenya, (i) Lesotho, (j) Malawi, (k) Mozambique, (l) Namibia, (m) Nigeria, (n) South Africa, (o) Tanzania, (p) Uganda and (q) Zambia on (i) strengthening Government-business relations, (ii) supporting free media, (iii) ensuring that justice is consistent and reliable, (iv) providing efficient administration and (v) ensuring effective government;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Botswana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Ghana, (d) Kenya, (e) Lesotho, (f) Malawi, (g) Mozambique, (h) Namibia, (i) Nigeria, (j) South Africa, (k) Tanzania, (l) Uganda, (m) Zambia, (n) India, (o) Bangladesh, (p) Pakistan and (q) Sri Lanka on (i) corporate governance, (ii) industrial relations, (iii) human resources, (iv) infrastructure, (v) the financial framework and (vi) business regulation;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Botswana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Ghana, (d) Kenya, (e) Lesotho, (f) Malawi, (g) Mozambique, (h) Namibia, (i) Nigeria, (j) South Africa, (k) Tanzania, (l) Uganda, (m) Zambia, (n) India, (o) Bangladesh, (p) Pakistan and (q) Sri Lanka on (i)environmental protection, (ii) corruption reduction, (iii)tax policy and (iv) competition policy.

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development has had recent discussions with the Governments of most of the countries mentioned. The discussions were wide ranging and included governance, infrastructure, the environment, human resources and trade and growth. In addition, DFID officials engage in regular policy dialogue with the various Governments on a number of topics. They include: public sector reform, public financial management, Government accountability, access to justice and corruption, the importance of infrastructure links and business regulation for improved trade and growth, and management of human resources in areas such as health and education. In pursuing our growth and poverty reduction goals, DFID also attaches importance to the reform of tax policy and administration and to fostering a more competitive market environment. Jointly with other donors, DFID is supporting a number of country and regional projects in Africa and Asia that address these two issues.
	Botswana and Namibia
	Neither I nor my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development have had discussions with the Governments of Botswana and Namibia on the issues raised in the recent past. Both are middle income countries and DFID does not have significant programmes in either country.
	Cameroon
	I met the Prime Minister of Cameroon in London on 8 March. We discussed Cameroon's progress towards reaching heavily indebted poor countries completion point and prospects for debt relief and also reviewed Cameroon's progress on tackling corruption. DFID is supporting the Government of Cameroon's Forestry Programme to tackle illegal logging and improve sustainable forest management.
	Ghana
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development recently met the Ghanaian Minister for Finance and Economic Planning in Washington. They discussed a wide variety of topics relating to the development of Ghana including how to deepen democracy and the importance of a well regulated business environment.
	Kenya: DFID officials have regular dialogue on many of the subjects raised in relation to a number of sectoral programmes which DFID supports in Kenya. These include the Public Sector Reform programme, Public Finance Management programme, Governance Justice Law and Order Sector programme and the Political Empowerment programme.
	Lesotho
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met recently with the Government of Lesotho's Minister of Finance. The discussions concentrated on education, HIV/AIDS, infrastructure and trade and investment in Lesotho. DFID supports Lesotho's revenue authority to improve tax collection and management.
	Malawi
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met the Malawian Minister for Finance in London in November and discussed the response to Malawi's food shortages and progress by the Government to achieve economic stabilisation and tackle corruption. I visited Malawi in October to monitor progress on health and HIV/AIDS programmes which aim to address human resources constraints in the health and education sectors in Malawi. DFID and other development partners are finalising a review which has covered a broad range of development issues including the economy, the social sectors and governance.
	Mozambique
	Mozambique has recently completed its second poverty reduction strategy plan following consultations with civil society and donors, including DFID. Strengthening Government, improving efficiency of the public sector and its administration, improving the justice sector and enhancing business relation were all key issues for discussion.
	Nigeria
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met the Nigerian Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-lweala in April at the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) spring meetings in Washington. Their discussion covered the Nigerian debt relief deal, recent economic events, and Nigeria's economic reforms. The UK Government strongly supports the reforms in Nigeria which focus on improving governance, stimulating private sector development and improving basic services.
	South Africa
	Recent discussions with the Government of South Africa have focused on the follow-up commitments made at the G8 Summit in Gleneagles in July 2005, to improve infrastructure in Africa, support good governance and tackle corruption, to address human resource constraints, to boost trade and growth and tackle climate change and water resources.
	Tanzania
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development spoke to President Kikwete of Tanzania last month. They discussed a variety of issues relating to Tanzania's development and welcomed President Kikwete's commitment to reducing poverty and fighting corruption. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development also met with the Tanzanian Minister of Finance at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank (WB) annual meetings from 22–23 April. Among the issues discussed was Tanzania's progress on development. DFID has supported Tanzania to assess the impact of its revenue authority on small businesses and the investment climate.
	Uganda
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met President Museveni in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November. A wide ranging discussion covered a number of our concerns about recent governance developments. DFID's programme in Uganda includes direct support for more accountable and effective Government.
	Zambia
	In February, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met Zambia's Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Dipak Patel, who is the current chair of the least developed countries group in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade negotiations. They discussed a range of issues concerning trade and in particular the Hong Kong WTO trade negotiations. I met with the Minister of State for Health Services in October 2005 and discussed Zambia's human resource strategy.
	In March, DFID co-hosted the Asia 2015 conference in London with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The conference brought together many senior politicians, officials and business leaders from the across the Asia region. Among the main topics discussed were the importance of tackling climate change and the need to ensure growth and effective Government. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development and I had a number of discussions about how to increase state capacity and effectiveness in order to increase access to services and reduce poverty.
	India
	DFID is engaged in regular policy dialogue with the Government of India and state governments across on policies and programmes to improve Government effectiveness and efficiency. DFID has been supporting a Centre for Good Governance in Andhra Pradesh for several years and has now been asked to assist in the establishment of a national centre. These initiatives provide a clear framework for discussion and planning for enhancing Government effectiveness.
	Pakistan
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development has had two recent discussions with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The first in Islamabad in October last year following the tragic earthquake, and the second during the Asia 2015 conference. Their discussions were wide ranging and focused on the UK's £128 million response to the earthquake. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development also reiterated the UK's continued commitment to support Pakistan's poverty reduction efforts. They discussed plans for a development partnership with Pakistan; Pakistan's economic growth and progress in Pakistan's social sectors and in water and sanitation.
	Bangladesh
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development met with the Bangladesh Minister of Finance and Planning, Saifur Rahman, during a visit to Dhaka in December and more recently during the Asia 2015 conference. On both occasions they had wide ranging discussions which touched on many of these issues.
	Sri Lanka
	Our main priorities in Sri Lanka are recovery actions after the tsunami and improving prospectus for peace. We have also agreed to provide £41 million of Debt Relief to Sri Lanka over the next 10 years, in order to release Government finances for tsunami recovery and poverty reduction. Key to recovery is rebuilding infrastructure and a regulatory framework so that small enterprises can re-establish their businesses. I visited Sri Lanka last year and discussed many of these issues with the Government.

HIV/AIDS

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of aid promised to developing countries at the G8 Gleneagles Summit that will go towards tackling HIV/AIDS.

Gareth Thomas: At the G8 Gleneagles Summit, commitments were made to increase aid to developing countries by US$50 billion per year by 2010. The percentage of this aid that will go towards tackling HIV and AIDS for all developing countries was not specified.
	Of the additional $50 billion per year by 2010, $25billion will go to Africa. The best resource needs estimates have only considered global needs to 2008 and these suggest a resource gap of around $18 billion from 2006–2008 for AIDS-related programmes.

HIV/AIDS

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of the cost of implementing the Gleneagles commitment to achieve universal access to anti-retroviral treatment for all HIV/AIDS sufferers by 2010.

Gareth Thomas: The Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reports on global resource needs estimates for AIDS. Anti-retroviral treatment resource needs alone are not available. However, the UNAIDS have produced global resource needs estimates of the costs of scaling up a comprehensive response to AIDS, to get as close as possible to universal access by 2010. These estimates propose total global annual needs of US$15 billion in 2006, US$18 billion in 2007 and US$22 billion in 2008. The estimates include a range of services covering treatment, prevention and care for people made vulnerable by AIDS.
	Global resource needs estimates have not yet been published for 2009 onwards.

HIV/AIDS

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions his Department has had with the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS on interim targets towards the Government's G8 commitment to achieving universal access to anti-retroviral treatment for all HIV/AIDS sufferers by 2010.

Gareth Thomas: Since Gleneagles, the UK has taken a number of steps to advance the commitments on AIDS. These will be a central part of discussions at the UN General Assembly high level meeting (31 May-2 June 2006). In establishing the UN General Assembly high level meeting, the General Assembly resolution (23 December 2005), established a Global Steering Committee (GSC) on scaling up towards universal access which DFID co-chaired. Building on the recommendations of more than 100 national and seven regional consultations, the GSC advised the Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on the priority actions required to scale up access to treatment, prevention and care for HIV and AIDS. These recommendations were incorporated in the UNAIDS report Towards Universal Access" published on 21 April 2006 for consideration at the UN General Assembly high level meeting. This report includes a recommendation that countries should set both interim targets for 2008, and 2010 targets in the areas of treatment, prevention and care.
	The UK is now working with UNAIDS, the presidency of the General Assembly and other governments to press for a strong and ambitious Political Declaration at the UN General Assembly high level meeting on 2 June. We are working to agree a Declaration which incorporates the recommendations of the UNAIDS report; promotes and protects human rights, women's rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and harm reduction as central components of an effective response; and endorses the principle that no credible, sustainable country plan should go unfunded. We will continue these discussions in the run-up to the high level meeting in June.

Iraq

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action the UK Government are taking to assist in the provision of clean drinking water for the people of Halabja in Iraq.

Gareth Thomas: Since 2003, DFID and other donors have worked hard to restore water supplies in Iraq. We estimate that 4 million more Iraqis have access to safe drinking water than before the conflict. In most cases, the main barrier to access to safe drinking water is the condition of the pipelines, rather than the water supply itself. This is partly due to the tendency for insurgents to target water, electricity and oil pipelines, as well as the reconstruction staff working to repair them. However, the poor condition of many pipelines is primarily the result of decades of underinvestment under Saddam's regime, which has left Iraq with crumbling infrastructure in desperate need of maintenance, and a shortage of trained engineers who know how to carry out repairs.
	DFID's bilateral support for improving water and sanitation has been provided in southern Iraq, where our regional office is located and where UK military efforts to provide security are also focused. As Halabja is in the north of Iraq, DFID has! not been directly involved in supporting projects in the city. DFID's funding to the water sector in central and northern Iraq has been provided through the United Nations Trust Fund for Iraq, to which we contributed £30 million in 2004.
	Significant donors in the water sector have been the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations Development Programme, and UNICEF. The US recently completed a water well project to restore water supply to Halabja. They have also recently completed a broad assessment of the water and sewage services in Sulaymaniyah province, where Halabja is situated, to help plan future assistance to this sector.
	In the south of Iraq, DFID is providing the following assistance to improve water and sanitation systems:
	We have built a water training centre in Basra, which I opened in March this year. The training centre will help train water engineers from all four southern provinces. The expertise they gain will strengthen the ability of the local water directorates to deal with the huge amount of maintenance that is now required.
	We are building three water towers in one of the poorest areas of Basra. These will ensure a steady availability of water to over 250,000 people.
	We are co-funding, with UNICEF, the refurbishment of a desalination plant that will provide the people of Basra with 500,000 litres of clean drinking water per day.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports he has received of the discussions between the International Monetary Fund and the Government of Iraq concerning oil policy; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: While the UK is not party to discussions between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Iraqi Government, we understand that officials from the IMF and the Iraqi Ministry of Finance have held numerous discussions on economic policy since 2004. They have continued to meet with representatives of the Iraqi government, both in the region and in Washington, following the approval of the Stand-by Arrangement on 23 December 2005.
	So far, most of their discussions have focussed on the implementation of the Iraqi Government's economic programme supported by the Stand-by Arrangement. The programme includes commitments to reorganise and improve governance of the oil sector. More details of the programme, as well as reports from IMF staff and the Government of Iraq's memorandums on economic and financial policies, are available on the IMF's website (www.imf.org).

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role UK officials had in the International Monetary Fund technical assistance to Iraq on petroleum sector policies, dated January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) does not assist the Government of Iraq directly on petroleum sector policies. Indirectly they do provide technical assistance in related areas e.g. the Iraqi Ministry of Finance have asked for assistance on how to tax natural resources, including a proposed 10 per cent. levy on oil imports.
	In July 2003, the IMF established the £5.7 million Technical Assistance Sub-Account for Iraq at the request of the Governments of Australia, Canada, Italy, Sweden, India and the United Kingdom. The purpose of this programme is to provide training and advice to the Government of Iraq to help restore macroeconomic stability, and thus long-term sustainable economic growth. To date the IMF has delivered training to key staff in the Ministry of Finance on issues of fiscal management, monetary, foreign exchange and financial policy, as well as macro-economic and financial statistics. So far, DFID has made a contribution of £787,500 to the sub-account.

Poliomyelitis (Nigeria)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of poliomyelitis there were in Nigeria in each of the last five years; and what steps the Government are taking to reducing incidences of the disease in Nigeria.

Gareth Thomas: Confirmed cases of wild polio virus (WPV) in Nigeria by year are shown in Table 1 as follows:
	
		Table 1: Annual cases of wild polio virus in Nigeria
		
			  WPV cases 
		
		
			 2001 56 
			 2002 202 
			 2003 355 
			 2004 782 
			 2005 801 
		
	
	Surveillance was poor up to 2001, and so the 2001 figure may not be very accurate. The figures for 2002 and subsequent years can be assumed to be accurate. Despite the rising number of cases, recent World Health Organisation (WHO) virological surveillance, which tracks the genetic sequencing of the virus, indicates a restriction of the circulation of WPV. (This means that the number of subtypes of the virus in circulation is steadily decreasing, indicating that the immunity of the general population is increasing.) The geographical spread has also been restricted, as evidenced in Table 2.
	
		Table 2: Distribution of wild polio virus in Nigeria during first quarter of the year
		
			 State 2004 2006 
		
		
			 Anambra 1 0 
			 Bauchi 1 4 
			 Bayelsa 1 0 
			 Benue 1 0 
			 Borno 1 0 
			 Delta 1 0 
			 Enugu 1 0 
			 Fed Capital Territory 1 1 
			 Imo 1 0 
			 Jigawa 2 26 
			 Kaduna 21 17 
			 Kano 20 70 
			 Katsina 8 11 
			 Kebbi 4 3 
			 Kwara 1 0 
			 Lagos 1 0 
			 Nassarawa 0 2 
			 Niger 0 3 
			 Osun 2 0 
			 Oyo 6 0 
			 Plateau 1 1 
			 Sokoto 8 3 
			 Taraba 1 0 
			 Yobe 2 2 
			 Zamfara 3 10 
			 Total cases 89 153 
			 Infected states 23 13 
		
	
	There are two main reasons why progress on interrupting transmission of the polio virus in Nigeria is so slow. First, over decades of military rule the routine immunisation services, which should be a central component of the primary health care system, were allowed to collapse. The polio eradication effort has therefore had to depend on supplementary immunisation activities alone, with door-to-door campaigns repeated five or six times every year. However, the second reason for slow progress is that these door-to-door campaigns are not well accepted by the general population in northern Nigeria and so large numbers of children are missed by every campaign as their parents refuse to allow them to be immunised.
	The Government of Nigeria is firmly committed to eradicating polio and DFID is working intensely with the WHO, UNICEF and other international partners to help Nigeria address the current problems. DFID lobbied successfully for a greater emphasis to be placed on rebuilding routine immunisation services that address several childhood diseases, instead of the exclusive emphasis on polio campaigns. Routine services provided from fixed sites are much more acceptable to the general public than single- disease door-to-door campaigns. DFID Nigeria has designed a £20 million project to support the reviving of routine immunisation in several low-coverage northern states. This project is expected to go live later this year.
	DFID also financed a consultative workshop in Kano in January this year which was very successful in getting key opinion leaders from across northern Nigeria to give their full support to polio eradication activities in the context of greater attention being paid to other childhood diseases at the same time.
	Another recent development is the decision to convert polio-only national immunisation days into what are being termed immunization plus days". DFID and other international partners, especially the European Commission, the US Government and UNICEF, had been pressing for this for some time. During immunization plus days" BCG 1 , DPT 2 and measles vaccines will be provided alongside the polio vaccine, and children will also be given vitamin A and anthelmintic 3 tablets.
	These tactics are necessary in order to increase the acceptability of the polio vaccine among the general population, especially in northern states where the transmission of the wild virus has not been checked. Children cannot be immunised against their parents' will and so it is necessary to win over people's hearts and minds so that they accept the polio vaccine. DFID is financing various advocacy initiatives in this regard, and has also funded anthropological research by the Institute of Development Studies in Sussex into the reasons for non-acceptance of the oral polio vaccine in northern Nigeria. The results of this research are now informing Nigerian government strategy at national, state and local levels.
	1 Baccille Calmette-Guerin vaccine against childhood tuberculosis
	2 Diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus 3 i.e. acting against parasitic worms

Water and Sanitation

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many UN agencies are working to provide water and sanitation to the developing world; and what steps are being taken to harmonise their activities.

Hilary Benn: The UN currently has 23 agencies working on some aspect of water and sanitation. The agencies have different functions and only a handful have significant programmes in the provision of water and sanitation services to developing countries. Both UN agencies and donors recognise the need to improve harmonisation and have agreed a proposal for a co-ordinating body, UN Water". This will provide a mechanism for co-ordinating the work of the existing agencies. DFID is working with others to establish UN Water, and will be providing financial support to a Secretariat in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
	DFID is also proposing that, in discussion with national governments, the UN should decide which UN agency is best placed to lead on water and sanitation in any country. This lead agency, and not others, should be the channel for donor money allocated to the UN in this sector.
	In light of the World Summit Outcome document, the UN Secretary General is considering proposals for improving UN coherence across its development operations including the environment.

Water and Sanitation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the ability of the (a) EU Water Initiative and (b) EU water facility to deliver clean water and sanitation to those who need it; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The 25 EU member states and the European Commission are together, the largest donors in Africa and in 2003–04 spent over £1.4 billion on water and sanitation. The EU Water Initiative (EUWI) was created to increase the impact of this aid, by co-ordinating efforts to ensure that the sector receives appropriate political profile and increased levels of investment. This is why we have been keen to make the initiative work.
	DFID has been actively involved since the outset with the EUWI but like others, has been disappointed with slow progress. We are currently working with Tearfund and WaterAid to strengthen commitment across the EU and in particular to improve monitoring and accountability.
	The EU Water Facility (EUWF), in contrast to the EUWI, is a funding mechanism. It was established in 2004 in response to the clear need for more money in the water sector. Although progress has been slow, mainly due to lengthy procurement procedures, approximately €230 million is now committed to co-fund 97 projects, which are overall valued at €412 million. A second call for proposals has been launched this year and the full €500 million of the EUWF will be committed by 2007.

World Bank (Oil Revenue)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the ongoing dispute between the World Bank and the Government of Chad regarding frozen Chadian oil royalties; what discussions he has had with members of the US Administration regarding their offer of mediation in this dispute; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Chad is one of the poorest countries in Africa. UK development aid is provided indirectly through multilateral organisations. When oil reserves were discovered in the 1990s, the industry asked the World Bank to invest in the building of a 1,070 km pipeline to carry Chad's petroleum to the Atlantic coast for export. The World Bank saw this as a unique opportunity for Chad to climb out of extreme poverty. Before it became involved, the World Bank obtained assurances that the new revenues would be used to lift the population out of deprivation.
	On 6 January 2006, the World Bank announced that it would withhold new loans and grants to the Government of Chad and suspend disbursement of International Development Association (IDA) funds allocated to the country. The value of funds suspended was approximately $124 million. This action followed passage of amendments to the country's Petroleum Revenue Management Law by the National Assembly. These changes substantially weakened programmes to improve the lives of poor people, which the World Bank had been supporting.
	The World Bank offered to assist the Government to address their financial difficulties by analysing and helping to address them, including how public finances had been managed. It had also proposed a review of how the Petroleum Revenue Management Law had been implemented to identify which, if any, amendments to the law might be warranted. The World Bank has remained open to dialogue with the Government on the best ways to address their current financial crisis while protecting poverty reduction programmes. On 26 April, the World Bank and the Government announced that they had completed a third round of discussions and reached an interim agreement. Based on this, the World Bank has agreed to resume some loan disbursements for education, health, community development, HIV/AIDS, agriculture, electricity, water and infrastructure.
	The Government of Chad have agreed to pass a 2006 budget law specifying that 70 per cent. of the oil revenues will be used for priority poverty programmes. This allocation excludes security spending, which is to be funded from general revenues. If the Bill does achieve this, as soon as the oil consortium submits payments owed, the World Bank will release one third of the total amount on deposit in the escrow account over each of the next three months, with the understanding that the World Bank and the Chad Government will work on a further, more permanent agreement during that period. The Chad authorities have also agreed to parallel actions to strengthen the monitoring, transparency and accountability of direct and indirect oil revenues and development aid.
	We welcome the steps which the Government of Chad have taken to restore the confidence of the international donor community. While a final agreement is still to be reached, we welcome the Government's efforts to address the issues. We believe the steps agreed provide a way forward to ensure that the people of Chad see the benefits of the aid and oil revenue their country receives.
	I have not discussed with the US Administration its offer of mediation in this dispute.

World Bank (Oil Revenue)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the oil revenue management measures promoted by the World Bank in Africa; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the oil fund established by the government of East Timor and the oil revenue management measures promoted by the World Bank in Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: On 12 January 2006 in Sydney, Australia and East Timor concluded the terms of a Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea" (CMATS Treaty) which provides for an interim agreement to allow exploitation of the Greater Sunrise gas reservoirs to proceed while suspending maritime boundary claims for 50 years and maintaining the current treaty arrangements in place. Under this creative solution, Australia has agreed to share equally (50:50) the upstream revenues from the resource.
	DFID has not made a direct assessment of the impact of the discovery of oil on poverty reduction in East Timor, apart from noting that once the Greater Sunrise project proceeds, it could result in transfers of revenue to East Timor of as much as US$4 billion over the life of the project. The revenue will be paid to East Timor's Petroleum Fund, the balance of which is already around $330 million derived from the 90 per cent. share of production East Timor receives from the Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA). The exact benefit to East Timor will depend on the economics of the project but we hope that it will assist in securing East Timor's development and economic stability.
	From the outset the Government of East Timor has pursued a rigorous approach to transparency with revenues and contracts in the public domain. The Government have conducted thorough public consultations on several initiatives on transparency and management of oil and gas revenues. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri stated Timor's official support for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) at the Lancaster House conference in June 2003. He also set out a policy to ensure transparency. We encourage this approach which will help promote poverty reduction along with good governance and transparency.
	Within Africa, DFID has assessed the oil revenue management measures promoted by the World Bank in Chad and supports the Bank's efforts to ensure that these revenues are used to improve the lives of poor people.
	The World Bank has also promoted the adoption of the EITI in a number of resource rich African countries. We encourage this since effective implementation of the Initiative will help promote poverty reduction along with good governance and transparency.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Consultants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2006, Official Report, column 873W, on consultancy fees, what each of the consultants were used to accomplish; and how much was paid in fees to each organisation.

Harriet Harman: My Department used consultants during 2004–05 to support its programme of modernisation and change, to increase efficiency, and to provide better customer service and value for money for the taxpayer. Information on what each of the consultants was used to accomplish is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	A list of the consultancy companies and individuals, and the fees paid to each of them, is as follows.
	
		Fees paid by DCA/Court Service for the provision of consultancy in 2004–05
		
			  Fees (£) 
		
		
			 Adult Learning Inspectorate 19,309 
			 Alexander Cameron Ltd. 5,837 
			 Anagram 119,035 
			 Analogue 1,972 
			 Ask Europe PLC 28,616 
			 Assessment and Development Consultancy 60,750 
			 Barry Sutlieff 413 
			 BTA Consulting 196,859 
			 BTF Associates 176,076 
			 Capita Resourcing 39,140 
			 Chesterton 45,134 
			 CIMTECH 750 
			 Cleo Nicolau 33,353 
			 Communication Engagement and Change Ltd. 61,000 
			 Computer Sciences Corporation 16,000 
			 Cornwell Management Consultants 49,081 
			 Craigforth 16,884 
			 David Coates 22,000 
			 Deloitte MCS Ltd. 1,683,229 
			 Dennis Battle Associates 2,288 
			 Design Systems Technology Ltd. 1,000 
			 Digital Public 21,000 
			 DTZ Debenhan Tie Leung 244,774 
			 Elborough Consulting/TSO Consulting 5,689 
			 Eleri Evans 617 
			 Enodian Ltd. 172,377 
			 Ernst and Young LLP 235,256 
			 Gartner UK Ltd. 112,103 
			 GIC Ltd. 11,600 
			 Haygarth Group 28,000 
			 Hedra 20,000 
			 Horwood Safety Limited 1,881 
			 Hudson Global Resources 42,600 
			 Human Assets Ltd. 85,341 
			 Hurd Rolland 153,361 
			 Ilogic Ventures 22,688 
			 Insight Consulting Ltd. 132,924 
			 IPPR Consulting Ltd. 29,417 
			 Issan Ghazni Partnership 624 
			 JMH Consultancy 39,000 
			 John Garnett 79,762 
			 KPMG 1.061,907 
			 Largos Ltd. 3,614 
			 Lexicon Ltd. 24,687 
			 Logica CMG UK Ltd. 31,012 
			 Maitland Consultancy 25,000 
			 Mandurai Ltd. 3,494 
			 Methods Consulting 98,065 
			 MORI 59,000 
			 Mouchel Consulting Limited 469,965 
			 NCC Services Ltd. 53,449 
			 ORC International 290,785 
			 PA 1,304,050 
			 Parity Resources 36,270 
			 Penna 15,548 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers/PWC 2,223,071 
			 Professor Susskind 10,764 
			 Punter Southall 24,674 
			 Rene Caroyal 4,700 
			 Reshan Sandhu 2,058 
			 Rick Evans Ltd. 2,677 
			 Synopsis Communication Consulting Limited 38,764 
			 The Ingram Partnership 243,000 
			 Towers Perrin 296,752 
			 Tribal MPC 15,045 
			 UCL Consultants 19,035 
			 Venn Group Ltd. 6,663 
			 VP Treen and Associates 43,200 
			 Watson Associates 51,475 
			 Wheelers 132,646

Legal Aid

Si�n James: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what progress is being made in reducing claimant legal aid fraud; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has powers to investigate where doubts arise about whether a funded client is financially eligible for civil legal aid. The LSC takes action to deal with people who abuse the system, including referring them to the police where appropriate.
	In order to improve the verification of means of applicants for civil legal aid, the LSC set up the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in 1996. This unit considers cases of apparently wealthy individuals applying for civil legal aid. Following the successful introduction of the SIU for civil legal aid, its role was extended to cover Criminal Legal Aid from 1998.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) what the average business rates liability of a small firm in England was (a) before and (b) after claiming small business rate relief in 200506;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of eligible small firms claimed small business rate relief in England in 200506.

Phil Woolas: This information is not held centrally, and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

City Regions

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce city regions in (a) England and (b) the West Midlands.

Phil Woolas: Ministers visited the eight English 'Core Cities', in a series of city summits during autumn of last year. Following these summits, the 'Core Cities', in partnership with surrounding areas, have been developing business cases which set out their strategic vision, and their case for change to enable improved economic performance and social cohesion. Representatives from the West Midlands metropolitan authorities and their partners met with the Minister of Communities and Local Government (Mr. Miliband) on 23 March to discuss their business case.
	These discussions will inform the forthcoming Local Government White Paper.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many written representations he has received since January protesting about council tax; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Between 1 January and 25 April 2006 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received approximately 3,260 written representations about council tax. The Office has also received just over 3,000 copies of council tax bills without a separate written representation.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government has to provide assistance specific to pensioners with their council tax bills in 200607.

Phil Woolas: Council tax benefit is available to pensioners on a low income. When pension credit was introduced in October 2003, the Government invested almost  billion a year in increasing the amounts on which housing benefit and council tax benefit are based: this meant that around 2 million pensioner households became either entitled to council tax benefit for the first time or qualified for more help. The Government has also announced an extension of winter fuel payments for the remainder of this Parliament at a cost of around 700 million a year.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in his Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate numbers in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None

Departmental Staff Handbook

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's most recent staff handbook.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 March 2006, Official Report, column 818W to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs.Spelman).

Euro

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the local authorities Euro preparation group last met.

Phil Woolas: A meeting between local authorities and central Government officials to discuss Euro preparations took place on 21 February 2006.

Gypsy and Traveller Sites

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under what legislation he published the Planning Circular 01/06: Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites.

Yvette Cooper: The Government publish planning policy in various forms such as through circulars, planning policy statements and policy guidance notes. These documents build on the framework set out in legislation, and provide guidance on different aspects of land use planning and the delivery of sustainable development through the planning system.
	Government planning guidance does not require the formal backing of legislation, but it is considered material considerations and must be taken into account when an authority is making a decision on a planning application.
	The draft circular was subject to 13 weeks formal consultation in 2005. The circular was issued on 2 February 2006.

Home Working

David Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in his Department have been enabled to work from home in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) does not collect such data. Staff in ODPM may work at home subject to the agreement of their line manager and the business needs of ODPM. In making such arrangements full account is given to the rights of staff with children under the age of six under the Employment Act 2002 to request a flexible working pattern. ODPM supports such arrangements which assist staff maintain a satisfactory work/life balance, subject to there being a business justification for the arrangement.

Housing

Helen Southworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to increase the number of shared equity homes in (a) Warrington and (b) other housing hot spots in the North West.

Yvette Cooper: The Government are committed to tackling affordability. It has extended its range of housing options to include Homebuy, an equity sharing scheme, which will extend the opportunity for home ownership to 100,000 households by 2010. In support of this, HomeBuy agents will provide a 'one stop shop' and gateway to low cost home ownership opportunities in 37 Zones across the nine English regions. Already in the North West 9.7 million has been allocated to the Open Market Homebuy scheme, delivering 340 units.
	Furthermore, the Government have increased investment of 970 million through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing programme to deliver 35,000 homes by registering social landlords over the next two years. In the North West 201 million has been allocated for the Affordable Housing programme for 200608 delivering 2,248 affordable homes for rent, 1,573 low cost home ownership options with an additional 205 improved homes for rent. In Warrington 1.7 million over the same period has been allocated, providing 40 units and affordable housing in one of the most deprived wards.
	The scale of the task is not underestimated and that is why the Chancellor announced the establishment of a joint Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/Treasury Shared Equity Task Force in the Budget. The taskforce, led by myself and my hon. Friend financial secretary John Healey, will consider the case for Government intervention in the housing market to assist 'intermediate' households into home ownership using shared equity products. The taskforce will report at the end of the year, to inform comprehensive Spending Review decisions in summer 2007.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's definition is of affordable housing.

Yvette Cooper: Current planning policies, in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing (PPG3) and Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions Circular 6/98 Planning and Affordable Housing, require a local planning authority to define what it considers to be affordable in its areas in terms of the relationship between local income levels and house prices or rents for different types of households.
	Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3): Housing (PPS3), published for consultation in December 2005 and which will, once finalised, replace PPG3 and Circular 6/98, has a new draft definition of affordable housing:
	Non-market housing provided to those whose needs are not met by the market, for example homeless people and key workers. It can include social rented housing and intermediate housing. Affordable housing should:
	Meet the needs of eligible households, including availability at low enough cost for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.
	Include provision for the home to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households, or, if a home ceases to be affordable, any subsidy should generally be recycled for additional affordable housing provision.

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which councils have stock transferred (a) some and (b) all of their council housing; and when they did so.

Yvette Cooper: A table containing the information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.

Local Government Finance

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much additional revenue has been raised by local authorities using their discretionary power to abolish the council tax discount on second homes since 2004.

Phil Woolas: The amount of additional revenue raised by local authorities using their discretionary powers to reduce the council tax discounts on second homes was:
	84 million in 2004/05; and
	92 million in 2005/06.
	These figures are estimates based on information reported by local authorities on the CTB1 and CTB1(S) forms.

Local Government Strikes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many man-hours have been lost as a result of recent industrial action in connection with the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Phil Woolas: This information is not held centrally, and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Cars (Fuel Costs)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the fuel costs were for ministerial cars used by his Department in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Transport (Dr. Ladyman) on 27 April 2006, Official Report, column 1226W.

Muscular Dystrophy

Anne Milton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Government grants are available to people with muscular dystrophy to adapt their home environment to their needs.

Yvette Cooper: Social service authorities have a duty under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to arrange for a disabled person, practical assistance in the home, and any works of adaptation or the provision of additional facilities designed to secure greater safety, comfort or convenience. The social services have a duty to ensure that any assistance required by the disabled person is secured and they may charge for any services they provide.
	One principal way in which such assistance is available is through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) programme which is the responsibility of my Department and administered by local housing authorities. This is a mandatory entitlement for eligible disabled people in all housing tenures which provides financial assistance up to a maximum of 25,000 per application for adaptations to make the home safe and to secure access for the disabled person to all the main facilities in the home. This grant is also means-tested.
	Community care equipment which a disabled person has been assessed to need by social services and which costs less than 1,000 is provided free-of-charge.

New Deal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements there are for governance and scrutiny of the new deal for communities programmes.

Phil Woolas: New deal for communities (NDC) partnerships are governed by boards comprising elected resident members and representatives of delivery partners such as the council, providers of local services (e.g. health, housing, community safety, education), and the commercial sector and are therefore directly accountable to the community.
	The NDC partnerships operate within a legal framework involving their accountable body (usually the local authority) and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (largely through the Government office). Grant is paid to the accountable body pursuant to a funding agreement between the accountable body and ODPM.
	The NDC partnerships work with their accountable body to develop delivery plans which are approved by Government offices on behalf of Ministers. The accountable body is responsible for ensuring that they and the NDC comply with the terms and conditions of NDC grant including financial reporting requirements. The Government office monitors the performance of the accountable body (AB) and ensures that it properly monitors the partnership.
	Guidance on governance issues are set out in the NDC programme notes on the website at www.neighbourhood.gov.uk (particularly programme notes 20 on codes of conduct and 27 on board effectiveness).

Pathfinder Programme

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what average amount has been spent on household improvements in each pathfinder scheme area; and how many houses have been subject to improvements in each area.

Yvette Cooper: Provisional figures from pathfinders to end March 2006 are in the following table.
	
		
			 Pathfinder HMRF spent on household improvements ( million) Number of properties improved HMR spend by property (000) 
		
		
			 Birmingham Sandwell 11.3 6,125 1.8 
			 East Lancashire 16.3 1,504 10.8 
			 Hull and East Riding 0 0 n/a 
			 Manchester Salford 27.3 7,760 3.5 
			 Merseyside 5.7 7,157 0.8 
			 Newcastle Gateshead 11.8 561 21.1 
			 North Staffordshire 2.2 2,584 0.9 
			 Oldham and Rochdale 8.5 1,970 4.3 
			 South Yorkshire 20.0 1,900 10.5 
		
	
	This is in addition to the decent homes programme which is also refurbishing social housing in many areas.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 16 February 2006, Official Report, column 2248W, on planning, when he will place a copy of the publication referred to in the Library.

Yvette Cooper: My officials have confirmed with the Library that a copy of the 1992 version of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 : Housing referred to in my earlier answer has now been registered and is available for viewing in the Library of the House.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans his Department has to revise Planning Policy Guidance Note 13.

Yvette Cooper: It is not proposed to replace PPG13 at present.

Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether Planning Policy Statement 3 imposes any obligation on local authorities to sell their own land to meet housing demand; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Draft Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3), published for consultation in December last year, does not impose any obligation on local authorities to sell their own land to meet housing demand.

Planning

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish a new planning policy statement on water.

Yvette Cooper: Water issues are already covered extensively in existing planning guidance. Over 300 separate references to water ensure that planning authorities take account of the availability of water in their planning decisions, making more efficient use and re-use of water to minimise the need for new resources and avoid placing additional demands on the environment. We have no plans to publish a separate planning policy statement on water.

CABINET OFFICE

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he will answer the letter to him dated 14 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. N. McHugh.

Jim Murphy: I apologise for the delay in replying to the right hon. Member. A reply was sent on 3 May.

Legislative Programme Committee

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the work of the Legislative Programme Committee.

Jim Murphy: Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice and the proceedings of Cabinet and Cabinet committees is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.
	Details of the membership and terms of reference of the Committee are available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office website.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

International Arms Trade Treaty

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to promote the Arms Trade treaty amongst the UK defence industry.

Kim Howells: In May 2005 defence industry representatives attended an inaugural meeting organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to discuss the concept of an International Arms Trade treaty. Since then we have engaged with industry groups as part of our regular briefings on export control issues, and in meetings to specifically discuss work towards a treaty. We will continue to do so as this initiative progresses. The industry remains supportive, judging that a treaty will create a more level playing field for export control standards.

Iraq (Oil Policy)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Government officials consulted the private sector during discussions on Iraqi oil policy (a) between March and December 2003 and (b) after December 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Yes. There have been frequent contacts between Government officials and private sector staff in the period since March 2003. The Government of Iraq has been fully responsible for policy on the development of its oil sector since it assumed sovereignty in June 2004. All decisions on the future of the Iraqi oil sector will be taken by the elected Government of Iraq.
	The UK is keen to play a role supporting the Iraqi Government as it moves forward with oil sector development. To do this we need to consult a wide range of views in order to understand the workings of the sector and the challenges it faces. To this end, we maintain contact with a range of stakeholders in order to form a UK Government view. These include non-governmental organisations, parliamentary groups, technical and constitutional experts as well as private sector groups.

Israel

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2006, Official Report, column 10027W, on Israel, what further representation he has made to the Israeli government with regard to their failure to respond to his original representations of November 2005 in respect of the anti-semitic harassment of the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton by an Israeli official at Tel-Aviv airport.

Kim Howells: The Israeli authorities have now completed their investigation. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expects to receive a reply addressing my right hon. Friend's concerns within two weeks. On receipt of the reply, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will write to my right hon. Friend.

Israel

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what interventions he has made with the Israeli government regarding the case of James Miller.

Kim Howells: Between May 2003 and March 2006 my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the case of James Miller with the Israeli authorities on 13 occasions. Most recently, he wrote to the Israeli Foreign Minister on 1 March 2006 expressing the Government's disappointment that no one has been held accountable for James Miller's killing and supporting the family'srequest for compensation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also made an additional 27 interventions on this case with the Israelis, at ministerial and official level.

Israel

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to participate in further discussions with the Israeli government regarding the deaths of James Miller andTom Hurdnall and the coroner's verdict on both cases.

Kim Howells: The St. Pancras Coroner has formally written to my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary about these two cases. The Attorney-General will be meeting both the Miller family and the Hurndall family later this week. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will also meet both families this month. We will decide on the next steps once the Attorney-General has assessed the Coroner's findings and Ministers have discussed the cases with the families.

Israel

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the families of James Miller and Tom Hurdnall.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be meeting the family of Tom Hurndall on 8 May and the family of James Miller on 11 May.

Israel

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government (a) funds and (b) supports co-existence projects in (i)Israel and (ii) the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: My department supports co-existence projects in Israel and the West Bank. In the 200506 financial year funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Global Conflict Prevention Pool allocated approximately 174,000 to promote peaceful co-existence between the Palestinians and the Israelis. This supported projects such as the Executive Action Team water project, which works with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian officials to manage shared water resources to limit pollution.

Kyoto Protocol

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the application to overseas territories of the Kyoto protocol and the clean development mechanism, with particular reference to the possible benefits accruable from projects that reduce carbon emissions; to what extent carbon reductions associated with a project in an overseas territory would be eligible for carbon credits; and who would receive such credits.

Kim Howells: The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1993. The United Kingdom ratified the Kyoto protocol in 2002. It is open to the Government to extend the ratification of the convention and the protocol to include overseas territories. In practice the Government would do so only at the request and with the consent of the territory concerned.
	The Kyoto protocol's flexible mechanisms, international emissions trading, clean development mechanism (CDM) and joint implementation (JI), would be available to an overseas territory (OT) that had the UK's instrument of ratification extended to it and would therefore become part of an Annex I Party. As part of an Annex I Party it cannot host CDM projects and therefore be eligible for carbon credits since these are only available to non Annex I Parties, generally developing countries. However, it may invest in non Annex I countries and purchase credits that it could sell on the international carbon market.
	There is also the possibility that an OT could take part in JI projects between two Annex I Parties, but the detailed arrangements to provide for this would peed to be agreed between the Government and relevant OT.

Palestine

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what the status is of the EU Police Mission in the Palestinian territories following the January 2006 Palestinian legislative elections.

Jack Straw: The EU is currently reviewing the status of the EU Police Mission in the occupied territories and I will write to the right hon. Member once the results of the review are known, and place a copy in the Library of the House.

Spain

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) he and (b) diplomatic and consular staff in Spain have had with Spanish authorities on child custody cases in Spain where British parents experience restrictions on legitimate access.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides appropriate consular assistance, when requested, to British nationals involved in disputes over child residence and contact, in conjunction with the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) as the central authority handling cases brought under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. A delegation of FCO and DCA officials visited the Spanish Ministry of Justice on 26 March 2005 as part of ongoing discussions on how to resolve residence and contact disputes. These issues were raised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor at a recent meeting with the Spanish Justice Minister. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and FCO Ministers have had no recent discussions with the Spanish authorities on such issues.

Spain

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British parents have contacted his Department since 2003 regarding assistance with cases relating to access to children involved in custody disputes in the Spanish courts.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Child Abduction Section, which was established in 2003, has records of 52 cases concerning child residence or contact disputes in Spain.

UK-South East Europe Forum

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding the UK-South East Europe Forum has received (a) from (i)central and (ii) regional government and (b) via the British Council in each year since its creation.

Jack Straw: The British Council provided 355,000 to the Forum in 200405 and 360,000 to the Forum in 200506. All of this funding came from the British Council's grant in aid, which it receives from central government. No further funding was received from either central or regional government.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  on what basis the UK embassy in Amman, Jordan, granted Iraqi citizen Mr Nabeel Sami Fathallah (HO Ref 10776940) a UK visa within 24-hours of his application; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what background checks were carried out following the receipt of a visa application from Iraqi citizen Mr Nabeel Sami Fathallah (HO Ref 10776940) at the UK Amman embassy; whether inquiries were made about (a) his links with the former regime in Iraq, (b) his financial position, (c) the reasons he was denied a visa by other countries and (d) the refusal of protection by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: In accordance with Exemption 5 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information, I regret that I cannot provide details of any individual entry clearance case in a public forum.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the scale of charges for visas to enter to the UK is at (a) Amman, Jordan and (b) other UK embassies in the Middle East.

Kim Howells: UKvisas is mandated by HM Treasury guidelines to recover its costs without burdening the UK taxpayer. Therefore, the applicant must meet the full cost of processing an entry clearance application. The visa application fee for each category of entry clearance is the same, wherever in the world an individual applies. The application fee is payable in local currency at the consular rate of exchange, which is within 10 per cent. of the commercial rate. The visa application fees in the Middle East, in local currencies and Pound Sterling, are as follows.
	
		
			   A B C D E 
		
		
			 Pounds Sterling GBP 30 50 85 260 Free 
			 Bahrain BHD 23 38 64 195 Free 
			 Iran IRR 500,000 830,000 1,410,000 4,290,000 Free 
			 Israel ILS 255 425 723 2,2 10 Free 
			 Jordan JOD 39 65 111 338 Free 
			 Kuwait KWD 16,250 27 46 140,500 Free 
			 Lebanon LBP 84,000 140,000 238,000 728,000 Free 
			 Oman OMR 21 35 60 182 Free 
			 Qatar QAR 210 350 595 1,820 Free 
			 Saudi Arabia SAR 210 350 600 1,820 Free 
			 Syria SYP 3,000 5,000 8,500 26,000 Free 
			 United Arab Emirates AED 205 340 575 1,755 Free 
			 Yemen YER 10,800 18,000 30,600 93,600 Free 
		
	
	Key:
	AHandling applications on behalf of Commonwealth countries.
	Handling applications on behalf of UK Overseas Territories.
	Direct Airside Transit.
	Visitor in transit.
	Join ship or aircraft.
	BVisit, single, double and multiple, valid up to six months.
	CVisit, multiple, valid for one, two, five or ten years.
	DSettlement, marriage (fiance(e)), civil partner.
	EEEA/Swiss family permit.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances a UK visa section may issue a visa within 24 hours of application in (a) Amman, Jordan and (b) other UK embassies.

Kim Howells: UKvisas' target, under its public service agreement, is for 90 per cent. of straightforward non-settlement visa applications to be processed and available for return to the applicant within 24 hours from the date of receipt by a visa section of the application and all supporting documents including the fee. This target is currently being met, both in Amman and worldwide.

Visas

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas to the UK have been issued in Amman, Jordan, to non-Jordanian residents in each of the last five years; and from which countries those issued with visas were from.

Kim Howells: The figures on the numbers of visas to the UK issued in Amman to non-Jordanian residents by nationality in each of the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial Year 
			 Nationality 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Afghanistan 0 0 1 2 1 
			 Algeria 1 3 0 5 19 
			 Armenia 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Australia 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Bahamas 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Bahrain 3 1 7 3 2 
			 Bangladesh 4 8 1 1 2 
			 Belarus 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 1 3 2 0 
			 Bulgaria 0 0 1 0 2 
			 Burkina 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Burma (Myanmar) 0 0 5 0 1 
			 Canada 2 1 1 2 5 
			 Chad 0 1 0 0 0 
			 China 12 6 4 11 9 
			 Colombia 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Croatia 0 1 0 4 1 
			 Djibouti 3 0 6 3 1 
			 Dominican Republic 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Egypt 24 23 22 34 26 
			 Eritrea 1 1 6 3 1 
			 Ethiopia 4 5 1 1 5 
			 Ghana 1 1 4 2 0 
			 Grenada 0 0 4 1 0 
			 Guyana 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Haiti 0 0 0 1 0 
			 India 23 23 19 33 31 
			 Indonesia 2 5 9 14 16 
			 Iran 12 4 3 9 6 
			 Iraq 1,485 1,467 1,381 2,595 4,815 
			 Jamaica 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Japan 0 0 1 0 2 
			 Kazakhstan 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Kenya 1 1 0 0 1 
			 Kuwait 4 9 8 12 19 
			 Lebanon 42 25 39 49 37 
			 Libya 5 7 1 2 5 
			 Macedonia 0 0 0 1 2 
			 Malaysia 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Mexico 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Morocco 8 5 8 9 8 
			 Mozambique 0 0 5 5 0 
			 Nepal 0 1 2 3 1 
			 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Nigeria 8 8 7 2 5 
			 Oman 5 4 5 11 5 
			 Pakistan 15 9 17 22 33 
			 Peru 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Philippines 111 134 106 129 120 
			 Qatar 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Romania 0 2 0 0 2 
			 Russia 3 3 2 4 9 
			 Saudi Arabia 56 46 39 63 57 
			 Sierra Leone 1 0 7 1 2 
			 Somalia 0 2 1 2 0 
			 South Africa 1 0 1 0 2 
			 Sri Lanka 21 30 26 33 25 
			 Stateless  (Art 1 1951 Convention) 2 8 0 0 0 
			 Sudan 30 17 27 15 11 
			 Syria 24 28 32 35 40 
			 Taiwan 0 3 0 1 7 
			 Tanzania 0 0 2 0 0 
			 Thailand 1 5 3 2 6 
			 Tunisia 0 3 0 1 0 
			 Turkey 7 9 5 16 4 
			 Uganda 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Ukraine 4 1 1 3 3 
			 United Arab Emirates 4 3 5 2 4 
			 United Nations 0 0 1 0 0 
			 United States 0 5 2 6 2 
			 Unspecified nationality 11 19 5 1 2 
			 Vatican 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Yemen 7 3 8 15 7 
			 Yugoslavia 2 0 2 2 7 
			 Zimbabwe 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Total 1,955 1,944 1,851 3,180 5,381 
		
	
	Note:
	Amman is the designated post for Iraqi nationals.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances political clearance is required by UK forces in Afghanistan before engaging in military action.

John Reid: The Chief of Defence Staffs Directive, along with secondary directives and the Rules of Engagement, provide the political guidance and clearance under which UK forces operate in Afghanistan.
	Clearance for a particular course of military action is delegated down to the lowest appropriate level.

Afghanistan

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has of co-operation between Afghans engaged in the opium trade and insurgents.

John Reid: There are reports that Taliban have been encouraging Afghan farmers to grow opium poppy and offering protection to farmers against eradication of their poppy crop. I am not however aware of conclusive evidence of a direct link between drug traffickers and the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan, although both benefit from instability.

Afghanistan

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK armed forces in Afghanistan have authority to seek to prevent insurgents and terrorists crossing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

John Reid: Responsibility for the security of national borders rests with the Pakistan and Afghanistan security forces respectively. I am withholding details of authorised support by UK forces for border operations as it would risk operational security and could endanger the lives of our forces.

Children's Services

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nursery and creche places are provided for people working in his Department; what charges are made for the provision of such services; and what other facilities are provided for the children of employees of his Department.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence provides the following childcare support for its civilian and military employees:
	46 work place nurseries offering circa 1,750 full day care places for children aged three months to five years.
	36 creches (benefiting 700 children) providing occasional care and 70 pre-schools (benefiting over 2,000 children) providing education on a sessional basis, primarily for Service families.
	14 wrap-around care schemes for five to 12 year olds (benefiting 350 children) providing after school care to match the working day.
	15 holiday play schemes providing full day care for five to 12 year olds during school holidays (three are shared with other government departments) benefiting 550 children.
	Four salary plus childcare voucher schemes for civilian employees at the Army Pay Centre Glasgow, Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL) staff, Warship Support Agency Rosyth and Defence Bills Agency Liverpool. The schemes benefit circa 240 parents.
	Within MOD responsibility for childcare is delegated to the main budget areas. Initial funding can be from a variety of sources:
	the central budget allocation;
	MOD's grant from the Civil Service Modernisation fund;
	local authorities;
	benevolent funds or raised by the parents themselves.
	The business case then determines how much direct or indirect subsidy the MOD gives.
	MOD nurseries are usually run by contractors, as commercial enterprises. Charges vary and competitive rates occur where indirect subsidies in the form of a peppercorn rent are provided. In addition about 10 per cent. of the nurseries offer direct subsidies, which can reduce the fees by around a third. Some play schemes also receive direct subsidies.
	MOD's four voucher schemes provide employees with varying amounts of support, ranging from a flat rate 50 for after school care and 75 for pre-school care per month in Liverpool to around a third of actual costs on a sliding scale for the registered care of their choice in Glasgow, Rosyth and for DSTL staff. These schemes offer the advantage of supporting parents to make their own choices about where and what type of childcare support they want for their child. In total the four voucher schemes cost the Department circa 30,000 a month.
	No further information regarding the charges to parents and MOD's contribution towards the costs of childcare schemes is held centrally and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department pays a contract premium to civilian people who face daily risks when trying to deliver the reconstruction effort in troubled parts of Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: All defence contracts in Multi-National Division (South East) are subject to a rigorous application procedure to ensure that we obtain the best value for money. The decision on whether or not to pay contract workers a risk premium is entirely a matter for the individual companies concerned.

Iraq

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what conditions civilian personnel serving in Iraq are eligible for the Operation Telic medal.

Don Touhig: The Iraq medal is a Ministry of Defence medal. Civilian personnel serving in Iraq are eligible to receive the medal, provided they are sent to Iraq by the Ministry of Defence; work in direct support of the military, and meet the stipulated eligibility criteria.

Rules of Engagement

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the Rules of Engagement or equivalent instructions for troops engaged in (a) counter-insurgency, (b) counter-terrorism and (c) peacekeeping operations indicating the (i) similarities and (ii) differences between them.

John Reid: Rules of Engagement (ROE) govern the use of force by UK forces. ROE are provided for all operations and tailored to the specific task and operational environment to ensure a proportionate response to events. It is a long-standing policy that we do not release the details of ROE. To do so could hand an advantage to opponents and prejudice the safety and capabilities of UK forces.

Troop Deployment (Iraq/Afghanistan)

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan have been (i) injured in action, (ii) not in action and (iii) removed from active duty as a result of illness or disease.

John Reid: The best centrally available records for TELIC casualty statistics are published on the Ministry of Defence website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsInIraqBritishCasualties.htm.
	Work is underway to collate casualty statistics for Afghanistan. As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, made clear in his answer of the 27 February 2006, we have undertaken to provide casualty statistics for Afghanistan from 1 January 2006 to the same conventions as Iraq. I will write to my right hon. Friend when it is complete, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Antisocial Behaviour

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were found to be in breach of antisocial behaviour orders during 2005.

David Hanson: The relevant authorities have notified the Northern Ireland Office of two persons being found in breach of their antisocial behaviour orders during 2005.

Community Differentials

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any taskforces have been established to tackle disadvantage in (a) Protestant and (b) Catholic working class areas in the last five years.

David Hanson: The information is as follows.
	The Taskforce to Address the Needs of Protestant Working Class Communities was established in March 2004 and included senior civil servants from all Government Departments. The report of the taskforce was published on 4 April 2006.
	The North Belfast Community Action Project was established in December 2001 to report on the social, economic and community problems in Protestant and Catholic communities in North Belfast. A report of the project's findings was published in May 2002.
	The West Belfast and Greater Shankill Task Forces were established in May 2001 to identify practical actions which could be taken quickly to improve employment prospects and reduce poverty in the respective task force areas.

Departmental Contracts

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which contracts let by his Department in each of the last three years ran beyond their original completion date; what the estimated additional cost was of the delay in each case; what company each overdue contract was with; what financial penalties were included in each contract; which financial penalties were enforced; and what the total cost was of financial penalties enforced, (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) contract and (ii) company.

Peter Hain: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Contract title Company Financial penalties included in contract Financial penalties enforced Estimated additional cost () 
		
		
			 200304 Provision of Consultancy Services on pensions provision for police lateral entry scheme Deloitte Total Reward and Benefits Ltd. None None 1,692 
			 200405 Independent element of the operational review of the section 75 equality duty Eithne McLaughlin and Neil Faris None None 14,000 
			 200506  
			 Total 15,692

Departmental Websites

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list (a) the websites operated by his Department and (b) the reports placed on the internet in March 2006, indicating in each case whether paper copies were also made available.

Peter Hain: The Department operates three websites, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) website, the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) website, and the Criminal Justice Services NI (CJSNI) website.
	The Ninth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission was published on the 8 March 2006 and placed on the NIO website, along with the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989Draft Codes of Practice 2006 Edition. Paper copies of both of these documents are also available.
	The Public attitudes to crime and recovered assets in Northern Ireland, was published on the OCTF website on 7 March 2006. While paper copies of this report were not routinely issued a hard copy would be provided on request.

Domestic Rates

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what period of time will be allowed for domestic ratepayers who wish to appeal against the new rating valuation of their homes in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  what appeal mechanism is being put in place for domestic ratepayers wishing to challenge the new rating valuation of their homes.

Angela Smith: The Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA) are currently putting procedures in place in an attempt to be as helpful as possible to all ratepayers and will form part of a full-scale exercise in openness, transparency and accessibility.
	The capital values will be published on a phased basis during July and August this year and each individual ratepayer will receive a detailed notification of his or her valuation assessment. This will provide householders with an unprecedented period of around eight months advance notice of their values, before billing commences in April 2007.
	At the same time, all of the capital values will be published on the VLA website, together with supporting information such as size and type of property. This will enable householders to compare their value with others in their area. A free-phone service will also be available to deal with initial inquiries.
	During this eight-month period, a ratepayer may initiate an 'Informal Review' with the district valuer. This is a new process being set up by VLA, providing ratepayers with an opportunity to have their assessment reviewed, and changed as necessary, before rate bills are issued in April 2007.
	The statutory appeals process will come into effect in April 2007 and this will comprise:
	Review by the district valuer (those ratepayers who have availed of the Informal Review in the previous year will be given the option of fast tracking to the next stage).
	Further review by the Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland.
	Appeal to the Northern Ireland Valuation Tribunal (NIVT), which is a new tribunal to be set up.
	Further limited appeal to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland.
	Recourse to the Court of Appeal on point of law only.

Domestic Violence

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were successfully prosecuted in domestic violence cases in crimes investigated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, (a) in total and (b) by District Command Unit; and how many victims of such incidents were (i) women in a heterosexual relationship, (ii) men in a heterosexual relationship, (iii) women in a same sex relationship, (iv) men in a same sex relationship and (v) children.

David Hanson: Current sources of prosecutions and convictions data do not include the necessary background information to facilitate the identification of offences relating specifically to domestic violence. The PSNI have continued to improve the methods by which domestic incidents and crimes are recorded; clearance rates by PSNI District Command Unit for recorded crimes with a domestic motivation were published for the first time in June 2005 in the PSNI Statistical Report 200405. The report is available on the PSNI website address www.psni.police.uk In 200405 there was a total of 8,508 recorded crimes with a domestic motivation; the clearance rate was 72.9 per cent.
	Civil measures can also be taken in relation to domestic violence cases, that is, an individual can obtain a non-molestation or occupancy order. These are protective orders and not offences in their own right; however breach of such an order is an offence though it is again not possible in such instances to identify solely those which relate to domestic violence. In 2003, the most up-to-date information currently available, there were 239 persons convicted for breach of a non-molestation order and 39 convicted for breach of an occupation order.

Free School Meals

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of children in each (a) grammar school and (b) other secondary school in Northern Ireland receive free school meals.

Angela Smith: The requested information has been placed in the Library.

Government Car Fleet

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made on increasing the use of environmentally friendly vehicles used by Government Ministers and senior civil servants in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: In line with the greening Government and Sustainable Development initiatives, the Department of Finance and Personnel's Central Transport Unit (CTU), is replacing all its ministerial and senior civil servant vehicles with fuel efficient modern diesel models or hybrid vehicles as and when they are due for replacement.
	The Department currently has two hybrid vehicles (petrol/electric) which it uses for short haul journeys.

Greater Shankill/West Belfast Task Forces

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations of the (a) Greater Shankill and (b) West Belfast Task Forces.

Angela Smith: The West Belfast and Greater Shankill (WBGS) Task Forces produced a joint report in February 2002 detailing over 150 recommendations covering a wide range of issues. Early progress was made in a number of areas including work by Invest NI to regenerate the Forth River (former Mackies) complex. The Department for Employment and Learning also piloted the Targeted Initiatives programme in the task force areas, working closely with a local stakeholders' forum, the Employment Services Board.
	In 2004, through the Integrated Development Fund (IDF), 21.7 million was allocated, subject to positive economic appraisal, to support 17 projects aimed specifically at addressing the social and economic problems in the task force areas. The economic and social environment has changed since the Task Force Report was published and, apart from the IDF initiative, there have also been a number of other policy initiatives, not least the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, which will have had a positive impact on the task force areas.
	Through its Belfast Regeneration office the Department for Social Development continues to work with all sectors associated with the task force areas to tackle disadvantage in a strategic and integrated way primarily through Neighbourhood Renewal and, more recently the Renewing Communities initiative with the aim of achieving tangible outcomes in terms of community, economic social and physical renewal. The Department also continues to deliver a variety of other programmes which, while not specific to the task force area do nevertheless, impact on the Greater West Belfast and Shankill areas.

Housing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change in the number of households in Northern Ireland was for the period between March 2005 and February 2006.

Angela Smith: There are no official statistics available to answer this question directly. However, based on the 1991 and 2001 censuses and official population projections produced by the Government Actuary's Department, it is projected that there were 660,900 households in June 2005 and 668,800 households in June 2006a projected increase over one year of 7,900 households.

Housing

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant community background have been (i) waiting for and (ii) awarded public housing in (A)Northern Ireland, (B) Belfast, (C) Derry, (D) North Belfast, (E) South Belfast, (F) West Belfast and (G) East Belfast in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: Housing is allocated on the basis of need and not religious affiliation. It is dependent on existing stock becoming available for re-letting and the provision of new build social housing which can vary from area to area due to high demand and low turn over as well as the availability of land. The information is not available in the format or time span requested. However the tables set out the information that is available. This does not include transfers between Northern Ireland Housing Executive properties, nor does it include allocations made by Housing Associations. In respect of the waiting list figures no information is available before the 200102 financial year and figures for the 200506 year are not yet compiled. In respect of houses that have been awarded, information is only available from the 200304 financial year. The figures for the 200506 year are not yet compiled. In addition figures for the Belfast area reflect the Housing Executive Districts that approximately cover the four geographic areas of the city.
	The information provided should also be considered in the context:
	The religious composition of households is based on 'self reported' answers to the question held within the General Housing Application Form. The religion of the applicant is assumed to be the same for all individuals within the household.
	The Equality Unit is currently unable to readily identify 'mixed' religion households although we are aware that a number of households currently described as 'Roman Catholic' or 'Protestant' would clearly fall into a 'mixed' category.
	The breakdown of the waiting list is a snapshot of applicants for Housing Executive properties on the waiting list on the last day of the month shown.
	The Housing Executive does not hold complete records prior to June 2002.
	
		Waiting for accommodation
		
			  At March 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Catholic 9,401 10,512 10,983 12,182 
			 Protestant 11,407 12,237 12,512 13,222 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast east 
			 Catholic 99 109 95 101 
			 Protestant 1,267 1,237 1,250 1,242 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast north 
			 Catholic 1,062 1,149 1,157 1,332 
			 Protestant 386 420 451 473 
		
	
	
		
			  April to March 
			  200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Belfast south 
			 Catholic 528 497 512 555 
			 Protestant 889 858 836 868 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast west 
			 Catholic 1,414 1,432 1,570 1,735 
			 Protestant 529 612 632 661 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 Londonderry 
			 Catholic 1,019 1,270 1,250 1,407 
			 Protestant 177 214 188 249 
		
	
	
		Awarded accommodation
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland   
			 Catholic 580 455 
			 Protestant 978 828 
		
	
	
		Belfast
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast east   
			 Catholic 8 1 
			 Protestant 62 90 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast north   
			 Catholic 44 30 
			 Protestant 64 54 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast south   
			 Catholic 15 0 
			 Protestant 50 44 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Belfast west   
			 Catholic 19 37 
			 Protestant 79 55 
		
	
	
		
			  At March 
			  2004 2005 
		
		
			 Londonderry   
			 Catholic 75 58 
			 Protestant 45 24

Investment Strategy

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken in the context of the investment strategy to tackle (a) community and (b) geographic differentials in (i) economic inactivity, (ii) unemployment and (iii) housing allocation.

Angela Smith: Targeting social need, along with equality and promoting good relations, are central to the work of government. This is fully reflected in the process for determining our overall expenditure priorities and allocations through Priorities and Budget, which is consistent with the first three years of the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) published in December 2005.
	In formulating investment priorities during the development of the Strategy, departments gave due consideration to these principles to ensure that opportunities were taken to tackle disadvantage, and to promote equality including in the labour market and in health, education and housing.
	As the ISNI is delivered, the opportunities to tackle disadvantage and promote equality will be kept under review as programmes and projects are rolled out. The Investment Strategy itself will be reviewed in parallel with the Comprehensive Spending Review, and in line with the development of the government's approach to tackling poverty and social need.

Literacy Levels

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will collect and collate statistics on literacy levels in Northern Ireland at (a) ward and (b) sub-ward level.

Angela Smith: There are no plans to collect and collate statistics on literacy levels in Northern Ireland at (a) ward and (b) sub-ward level. Measurement of literacy scores involves the administration of specific tests, and estimates of literacy levels in the population have depended on sample surveys (for example, the International Adult Literacy Survey which was carried out in Northern Ireland in 1996). Sample sizes for this type of survey are not large enough to enable the reporting of results at ward level or lower. Proxy information such as the proportion of the population with no qualifications is available at this level of detail for Northern Ireland (e.g. 2001 Census).

Local Government Finance

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the total annual (a) commercial and (b) domestic rates collected in each of the last five years in (i) Lisburn city council, (ii) Antrim borough council, (iii) Newtownabbey borough council and (iv) Carrickfergus borough council.

Angela Smith: The following table shows the rates collected for domestic and non-domestic (commercial) rates for the period 200102 to 200405. Figures for 200506 are not yet available.
	Figures used have been extracted from the un-audited summary of rate collection (annex A) contained in the agency's annual report and financial statements.
	
		
			 District/rates collected 200102 ( million) 200203 () 200304 () 200405 () 200506 
		
		
			 Lisburn  
			 Domestic 15.7 17.6 19.5 21 n/a 
			 Non-domestic 13.2 14.7 17 19.8 n/a 
			   
			 Antrim  
			 Domestic 6.4 7,3 8.3 8.9 n/a 
			 Non-domestic 7.7 8.4 8.5 8.8 n/a 
			   
			 Newtownabbey  
			 Domestic 13 14.6 15.7 17.1 n/a 
			 Non-domestic 13 14.8 15.7 15,4 n/a 
			   
			 Carrickfergus  
			 Domestic 6.2 6.8 7.7 8.7 n/a 
			 Non-domestic 4.8 5.2 5.4 4.8 n/a

Planning Area Enforcement Orders

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning enforcements against houses of multiple occupancy have been issued in each planning area in Northern Ireland since the legislation came into force.

Angela Smith: No enforcement notices have been issued in respect of houses in multiple occupation since the new legislation came into force in November 2004. Approximately 30 cases are currently under investigation and may lead to further enforcement action in due course.

Property Tax Reform

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the paper produced by the head of rating policy division of the Northern Ireland Department for Finance and Personnel, on property tax reform, for the IRRV International Conference in Alicante, Spain on 24 February.

Angela Smith: I can confirm that arrangements have been made to place a copy of the paper in the Library. It may be helpful to note that the paper was published last year on the IRRV website along with other papers presented at that conference.

Public Prosecution Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many proposals were received in the public procurement exercise for a Public Prosecution Service Regional Office in Derry.

Peter Hain: 11 proposals were received in response to the public procurement exercise for a Public Prosecution Service Regional Office in Londonderry.

Review of Public Administration

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategic role the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will have after the implementation of the programme for the Review of Public Administration in 2009.

David Hanson: The Housing Executive remains Northern Ireland's strategic housing authority and continues to have an extremely important role to play not only in implementing the Government's housing policies, but also in working with a range of agencies as part of the Government's overall efforts to address poverty and social exclusion.
	As implementation of the Review Public Administration moves forward and the new local councils are established, the Housing Executive will have to work in close partnership with those councils, particularly as they take on new housing-related functions. It will be appropriate at some stage in the future to consider how the new arrangements are working in practice and in particular how efficiently and effectively the new councils are discharging their housing-related functions. It would only be on foot of such a careful and thorough review, particularly in view of the sensitivities that continue to surround housing issues, that consideration would be given to further housing-related functions transferring to the councils.
	For the foreseeable future, therefore the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, as Northern Ireland's strategic housing authority, has an extremely important role to play as a key partner in developing and implementing the Government's policies.

Riding for the Disabled

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government support is available for those involved in riding for the disabled activities in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Riding for the Disabled Associations (RDA) is responsible for the development and promotion of horse riding for people with disabilities in Northern Ireland. The Association offers people with disabilities the opportunity to become involved in riding and carriage driving. It is part of RDA National and is a registered charity.
	The Riding for the Disabled Association is a member club of Disability Sports Northern Ireland (DSNI) who receive 125,000 per year in public funding through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland. DSNI provides support to a range of sport's organisations on improving access and opportunities under its Community Access Grants scheme to help improve access to existing facilities provided by voluntary and community organisations.
	There is also support available for equestrian sport, including horse riding, for people with disabilities from the Building Sport programme (BSp), which is run by the SCNI lottery unit.

Sewerage Stations

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which sewerage stations in Northern Ireland are not meeting standards set out in EU directives.

Angela Smith: During 2004the most recent year for which verified compliance data are currently availablethe following seven waste water treatment works did not meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) as they did not have secondary treatment:
	Bangor (Briggs Rocks)
	Carrickfergus
	Culmore
	Donaghadee
	Larne (Sandy Bay)
	Newtownabbey
	Portrush
	In addition the 13 works below failed to meet either the effluent quality standards or the monitoring requirements of the UWWTD:
	Armagh
	Ballyclare
	Ballymena
	Ballymoney (Glenstall)
	Ballynacor
	Banbridge
	Bullays Hill
	Coleraine
	Cookstown
	Magherafelt
	Moygashel
	Omagh
	Tandragee
	Initial assessment of 2005 data indicates an improvement in compliance compared with 2004.
	Over the three year period to 200708 some 290 million is being invested in upgrading WWTWs to ensure compliance with EC Directive standards. Since the compliance assessment of 2004, the Water Service Capital Works Programme has delivered new WWTWs at Culmore, Omagh, Cookstown and Ballyclare, all of which are now capable of producing UWWTD quality effluent. The new works at Larne was completed in early 2006 and, in addition, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey are scheduled for completion in mid-2006.
	In addition work has commenced on the new North Coast WWTW to resolve compliance requirements at Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine. In addition, Water Service is pursuing the use of Public Private Partnership investment to complement conventionally funded programmes. Initial PPP programmes for wastewater and sludge treatment, currently estimated at some 122 million, are being taken forward for detailed planning and procurement.

Social Economy Companies

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will collect and collate information on the distribution of social economy companies at ward level in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: There are no plans to collect and collate information on the distribution of social economy companies at ward level. DETI, as the Department with lead responsibility for developing a more integrated approach to the sector, plans to undertake and publish the results, at NI level, of the first biennial survey of social economy enterprises in NI in 200607.

Special Educational Needs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of children in each (a) ward, (b) county and (c) constituency in Northern Ireland (i) have special educational needs and (ii) are statemented.

Angela Smith: Information in relation to statemented pupils has been provided to the hon. Member on 6 March 2006, Official Report, column 1129W.
	Information on pupils with special educational needs at primary, special and nursery schools in Northern Ireland is not available at ward level. Analysis based on the location of schools is not available in respect of counties, but is provided in the following tables for Education and Library Board areas and constituencies. The distribution of pupils with special educational needs pupils is affected by the location of special schools and special units attached to mainstream schools.
	
		Percentage of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland, by Education and Library Board area, 200506
		
			 Education and Library Board Percentage of pupils with SEN 
		
		
			 Belfast 18.7 
			 Western 18.3 
			 North Eastern 13.2 
			 South Eastern 17.3 
			 Southern 14.2 
			 Total 16.1 
		
	
	
		Percentage of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in Northern Ireland, by parliamentary constituency, 200506
		
			 Parliamentary constituency Percentage of pupils with SEN 
		
		
			 Belfast East 16.2 
			 Belfast North 19.4 
			 Belfast South 17.0 
			 Belfast West 23.3 
			 East Antrim 13.3 
			 East Londonderry 15.3 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 14.9 
			 Foyle 19.2 
			 Lagan Valley 16.7 
			 Mid Ulster 12.9 
			 Newry and Armagh 15.1 
			 North Antrim 13.1 
			 North Down 13.6 
			 South Antrim 13.1 
			 South Down 16.5 
			 Strangford 18.6 
			 Upper Bann 14.0 
			 West Tyrone 17.2 
			 Total 16.1 
		
	
	Note:
	1.Figures relate to pupils in nursery, primary, post primary and special schools only.
	2.Figures for SEN pupils relate to those pupils at stage 1 to stage5 on the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
	3.Figures provided relate to the location of schools attended.

Speech Therapy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many primary school pupils were referred for speech therapy in each of the past five years, broken down by postcode.

Angela Smith: DE does not hold information on the number of children of primary school age referred for Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) as the referral is the responsibility of General Practitioners, Community Paediatricians or other medical professionals, generally as a result of parental concerns. However, through the School Census, DE does collect details of the number of children in Primary Schools with a Statement of Special Educational Needs, where the Statement records their special educational needs as speech and language difficulties, although not by postcode. The total of such children in Northern Ireland at October 2005 was 1,145.

St. Patrick's Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public funding was spent on the celebration of St. Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Office and the NI Departments do not hold records of all public funding spent specifically on the celebration of St.Patrick's Day in 2006. However, the Community Relations Unit in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister provides annual funding to each of the 26 District Councils through its District Councils Community Relations Programme. In the current year, eight of the Councils indicated in their claims that some of their funding was used for St. Patrick's Day events. This amounted to 85,466.
	The Community Relations Unit also provides Grant in Aid to the Community Relations Council, which provided 5,000 to Armagh City Council towards the cost of St. Patrick's Day events.
	In addition, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has committed to providing financial support of 30,000 per annum to an extended St. Patrick's Day/Week Festival in Down/Armagh area for 2006 and 2007. This funding is being provided through NITB's core budget and funds administered on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland.

Town Centre Retail Development

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by the Planning Service in Northern Ireland to assist town centres to compete with out of town retail developments.

Angela Smith: The Planning Service will continue to seek to protect the vitality and viability of existing town centres in line with regional policy contained in Planning Policy Statement 5 Retailing in Town Centres. The Department for Regional Development is currently reviewing this Policy Statement.
	In relation to Belfast City Centre, the Department for Social Development published in April 2004 a Regeneration Policy Statement (RPS) which sets out Government's objectives and approach to achieving the regeneration of Belfast City Centre by strengthening the City Centre as Northern Ireland's premier regional shopping destination. The RPS has facilitated the development of a major retail-led regeneration scheme at Victoria Square and plans for a further major retail-led scheme in the North East Quarter of the City Centre were announced on 28 March 2006.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Procedures

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of primates in scientific procedures; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Government's assessment of this important issue is that the responsible, limited use of non-human primates for experimental and other scientific purposes continues to play an essential part in producing new knowledge and insights that underpin advances in healthcare and bring other benefits not currently achievable by other means. There is in our view no immediate prospect of an end to this use whilst the benefits to humans, animals and the environment outweigh the costs to the animals involved and until there are suitable alternatives available.
	At the same time, the Government remains committed to ensuring that non-human primates are only used where it is considered fully justified and to ensuring that the highest standards of animal welfare are applied. In recognition of this, primates are given special protection under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act1986 and may only be used where no other species is suitable, when the likely welfare cost to them has been carefully weighed against the expected benefits of the research, and when everything possible has been done to minimise their numbers and suffering.

Asylum Seekers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors to the UK travelling on visas issued in Amman, Jordan, have applied for asylum following arrival in the UK, in each of the last five years; what their country of origin was; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Information on how many visitors to the UK travelling on visa issued in Amman (Jordan) have applied for asylum following arrival in the UK is not available.
	Information on the asylum applications by nationality is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers from Iraq have had support withdrawn by the National Asylum Support Service since the commencement of flights to Erbil airport returning failed asylum seekers to Iraq.

Tony McNulty: Scheduled flights to Erbil commenced on 18 June 2005 and charter flights returning unsuccessful asylum seekers began on 16 August 2005 to Erbil and now also to Sulaymaniyah.
	NASS has withdrawn section 95 support, under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, from 1,650 Iraqis since 18 June 2005, 1,207 since 16 August 2005. Section95 support is withdrawn at the end of the asylum process and occasionally before the asylum claim has been determined, due to a breach in the conditions of support.
	After the resumption of air services to Iraq, from one September 2005 the National Asylum Support Service has withdrawn support from 5,148 unsuccessful asylum seekers who were claiming support under section four of the same Act, as they were not fully satisfying the eligibility criteria, for example by not taking reasonable steps to leave the United Kingdom.
	A discontinuation of section 95 support can lead to a successful application for section four support as an unsuccessful asylum seeker. This, in turn, will lead to another withdrawal of support, as section four is designed to be limited and temporary in nature. There will be individuals who have had a withdrawal of both types of support during this period and in the figures above.

Cannabis

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made for possession of cannabis in each of the last 10 years in (a) Romford, (b) Havering, (c) Greater London and (d) England and Wales.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Charities Bill

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis is for the statement by Lord Bassam of Brighton in the House of Lords on 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 231, that there has been a fair measure of agreement on the thresholds in the Charities Bill, with particular reference to the charge for charities to register with the Charity Commission.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 2 May 2006
	The Joint Committee on the draft Charities Bill, in commenting on the evidence submitted to it, said (at paragraph 113 of Volume 1 of its Report):
	The majority of evidence supported the proposal to raise the threshold for registration to 5,000.
	The Joint Committee made no recommendation for any change to the proposed 5,000 threshold.

Charity Commission

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many schools the Charity Commission has (a) reprimanded and (b) closed for inadequate performance in the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The Charity Commission has not closed any charitable schools in the last five years for inadequate performance and neither is it competent to do so. The Commission is concerned with the governors' compliance with their legal obligations in exercising control and management of the school under charity law. It is not competent to judge the quality and standard of education and care. The Commission has made recommendations on relevant matters to school governors in the course of visits it has undertaken to schools and has taken other action to secure compliance with governors' duty to provide the Commission with their annual accounts in appropriate cases.

Charity Commission

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many schools Charity Commission staff visited in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: Charity Commission staff have visited nine charitable schools in the past 12 months as part of the Commission's structured visits programme. The Commission does not keep information on the number of visits that it undertakes in the course of its general regulatory case work but it estimates that it has made about four such visits to schools.

Crime Reduction (Hillingdon)

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) agencies and (b) partnerships responsible for the reduction of crime in (i) Ruislip-Northwood constituency and (ii) the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Hazel Blears: There are two partnership groups within the Ruislip-Northwood constituency boundary which have some responsibility for crime reduction:
	1.The Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction Forum covers the Ruislip-Northwood constituency including the Ickenham Ward in the Uxbridge constituency;
	2.The Hillingdon Community and Police Consultative Group has a number of local Community and Police Liaison Groups and the following cover the Ruislip-Northwood constituency: Eastcote and East Ruislip; Harefield; Northwood; Ruislip and Ickenham.
	There are two partnerships responsible for crime reduction across the borough of Hillingdon:
	1.The Hillingdon Community Safety and Drug Strategic Partnership is the primary partnership body responsible for crime reduction in the borough.
	2.There is a separate Hillingdon Criminal Justice Board, which includes the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police, Probation Service and the magistrates' court and deals with operational issues within the judicial system.

Criminal Convictions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons aged (a) 11 to 15, (b) 16, (c) 17 and (d) 18 years were (i) prosecuted for and (ii) convicted of a criminal offence in (A)Southend-on-Sea, (B) Essex, (C) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (D) England and Wales in each year since 1990.

Fiona Mactaggart: Data from the Court Proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of persons aged (a) 11 to 15, (b) 16, (c) 17 and (d) 18 years proceeded against at the magistrates' courts for all offences, in (A) Southend-on-Sea, (B) Essex, (C) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (D) England and Wales, 19902004 are contained in the following table.
	Statistics for 2005 court proceedings will be available in the autumn of 2006.
	
		Number of persons prosecuted at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts, for all offences1, by age group breakdown, in (a)Southend-on-Sea (South East Essex)2, (b) Essex, (c) Metropolitan Police area, (d) England and Wales, 1990 to 2004 -- Found guilty
		
			 Area/Age group breakdown 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 
		
		
			 South East Essex 
			 1115 62 51 46 57 91 132 197 147 
			 16 58 54 38 60 73 1144 127 168 
			 17 197 174 178 164 156 141 271 219 
			 18 298 272 246 224 280 303 445 472 
			  
			 Essex 
			 1115 275 266 195 249 337 476 628 683 
			 16 306 275 221 224 310 390 527 569 
			 17 1,089 752 714 580 584 677 988 944 
			 18 1,813 1,125 1,104 1,150 1,175 1,216 1,645 1,682 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police area 
			 1115 2,051 1,852 1,414 1,715 2,257 2,347 2,555 2,512 
			 16 1,820 1,656 1,469 1,514 1,911 2,046 2,775 3,147 
			 17 4,420 4,197 3,365 3,143 3,301 3,346 4,378 4,883 
			 18 6,130 6,076 5,126 5,078 5,529 5,075 5,481 6,126 
			 England and Wales 
			 1115 19,278 16,900 15,203 16,185 21,260 23,721 23,516 24,665 
			 16 17,871 15,547 13,713 13,012 15,500 17,335 19,538 20,813 
			 17 47,122 41,262 34,225 26,096 25,245 26,743 31,576 33,590 
			 18 70,567 62,166 53,936 47,237 46,485 44,791 47,997 52,332 
		
	
	
		Found guilty
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 South East Essex
			 1115 172 171 123 150 144 131 165 
			 16 134 117 94 146 119 95 127 
			 17 247 250 199 257 200 190 185 
			 18 517 432 332 294 320 314 293 
			 
			 Essex
			 1115 754 749 738 872 792 774 893 
			 16 565 571 583 636 519 501 670 
			 17 983 919 953 1,028 918 805 930 
			 18 1,863 1,613 1,420 1,409 1,376 1,442 1,343 
			 
			 Metropolitan Police area
			 1115 2,851 3,404 3,544 4,152 4,246 3,850 3,906 
			 16 3,987 3,042 2,932 3,382 3,292 3,068 3,268 
			 17 5,517 5,251 4,924 5,670 5,571 4,491 4,486 
			 18 6,378 6,133 6,022 6,715 7,094 7,275 6,478 
			 
			 England and Wales
			 1115 28,145 31,268 32,815 34,609 33,945 33,316 35,447 
			 16 22,724 22,838 22,944 24,344 24,048 23,660 24,918 
			 17 35,516 36,014 35,469 36,378 36,375 35,397 35,616 
			 18 55,226 53,017 50,635 50,354 50,359 51,313 48,958 
		
	
	
		Number of persons prosecuted at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts, for all offences1, by age group breakdown, in (a)Southend-on-Sea (South East Essex)2, (b) Essex, (c) Metropolitan Police area, (d) England and Wales, 1990 to 2004 -- Prosecuted
		
			 Area/Age group breakdown 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 
		
		
			 South East Essex 
			 1115 121 91 80 83 155 199 321 244 
			 16 130 105 83 85 127 148 210 225 
			 17 390 269 278 228 242 210 380 321 
			 18 568 405 362 318 363 415 587 626 
			  
			 Essex 
			 1115 418 443 359 406 553 706 979 1,045 
			 16 461 478 407 362 508 595 795 847 
			 17 1,465 1,089 1,098 874 901 993 1,404 1,331 
			 18 2,254 1,6181 1,580 1,559 1,631 1,628 2,225 22,219 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police area 
			 1115 3,216 3,009 2,704 3,346 4,299 4,560 4,803 4,338 
			 16 2,662 2,576 2,633 2,697 3,401 3,560 4,534 4,572 
			 17 5,920 5,993 5,083 5,477 5,814 5,511 6,998 6,907 
			 18 7,514 7,959 7,184 7,803 8,493 7,565 7,967 8,486 
			  
			 England and Wales 
			 1115 27,767 26,349 25,727 27,389 35,778 39,305 39,809 39,838 
			 16 25,642 23,970 22,956 21,825 25,721 28,587 31,663 32,249 
			 17 61,356 56,005 49,860 41,797 40,685 41,998 49,015 50,328 
			 18 88,573 82,059 74,233 67,830 67,713 64,088 68,588 73,384 
		
	
	
		Prosecuted
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 South East Essex  
			 1115 274 282: 198 226 214 196 240 
			 16 230 192 150 204 184 143 182 
			 17 360 377 267 333 281 252 249 
			 18 691 557 431 381 411 414 384 
			 
			 Essex
			 1115 1,149 1,139 1,222 1,306 1,172 1,104 1,205 
			 16 831 859 890 962 797 766 903 
			 17 1,381 1,330 1,369 1,421 1,263 1,099 1,211 
			 18 2,433 2,110 1,937 1,873 1,833 1,882 1,757 
			 
			 Metropolitan Police area
			 1115 4,767 5,610 6,315 7,699 7,355 6,513 6,128 
			 16 5,529 4,665 4,710 5,595 5,314 4,837 4.801 
			 17 7,470 7,330 7,286 8,522 8,350 6,736 6,310 
			 18 8,556 8,306 8,247 9,371 9,637 9,702 8,512 
			 
			 England and Wales
			 1115 44,585 48,281 52,667 56,481 54,009 51,722 50,813 
			 16 34,539 34,736 35,762 38,429 37,7025 36,122 35,656 
			 17 51,856 52,382 52,921 54,790 54,553 52,638 49,874 
			 18 76,134 73,033 70,098 70,986 70,775 71,355 65,203

Departmental Policies

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Islington South and Finsbury constituency, the effects on Islington South and Finsbury of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Charles Clarke: The Government have put into place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the constituency.
	Between March 1997 and March 2005 the number of police officers in the Metropolitan Police area increased by 4,396 from 26,677 to 31,073. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 2,053 CSOs on the streets in the Metropolitan Police Service area to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Metropolitan Police will receive 1,818 million in general grants for 200607, an increase of 3.1 per cent. (54.7 million) over the comparable figure for 200506. General grants funding to Metropolitan Police has increased by 20.8 per cent. between 199798 and 20067 (Figures are not directly comparable, due to boundary changes, adjustments to pay centrally for NCS and NCIS, and the transfer of pensions and security funding from general grant to specific in 200607. All have reduced general grant for Metropolitan Police Authority compared with 1997). In addition to general grants, Metropolitan Police will also receive an estimated 394.5 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 200607. The Metropolitan also gains 5.3 million from the amending reports for 200405 and 200506. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Officer.
	The Crime Reduction programme (CRP) was a 340 million intervention programme running for three years from April 1999. Figures are not available for constituency or local level.
	In Islington a total of 20 Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) have been issued (The latest figures available).
	
		Table 1: Number of offences recorded1997(16)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Islington CDRP  
			 Domestic burglary n/a 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 
			   
			 Metropolitan Police Force area  
			 Domestic burglary 88,010 
			 Theft of a vehicle 55,432 
			 Theft from a vehicle 104,872 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	(16)The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: Number of offences recorded199899 to 200102(17) -- Number
		
			  199899(18) 19992000(19) 200001 200102 
		
		
			 Islington CDRP 
			 Domestic burglary n/a 3,165 2,645 2,966 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 2,362 2,447 2,573 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 4,966 4,499 4,584 
			  
			 Metropolitan Police Force area  
			 Domestic burglary 75,797 79,504 70,169 73,930 
			 Theft of a vehicle 59,409 62,791 62,452 62,112 
			 Theft from a vehicle 103,611 112,206 105,699 112,146 
		
	
	n/a=not available.
	(17)The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	(18)The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 199899. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997.
	(19)Recorded crime figures for CDRPs were collected for the first time for the 12 months to March 2000.
	
		Table 3: Number of offences recorded200203 to 200405(20) -- Number
		
			 Offence 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Islington CDRP
			 Domestic burglary 3,083 2,611 2,451 
			 Theft of a vehicle 2,351 2,043 1,340 
			 Theft from a vehicle 5,003 5,553 3,678 
			 
			 Metropolitan Police Force area 
			 Domestic burglary 72,237 67,996 63,084 
			 Theft of a vehicle 58,405 55,158 48,026 
			 Theft from a vehicle 114,987 103,899 88,164 
		
	
	(20)The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	
		
		
			 Scheme Area 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 200607 
		
		
			 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Islington CDRP 26,419 66,236 66,236 
			 Communities against drugs Islington CDRP  262,200 594,218 
			 Safer Communities Initiative Islington CDRP   137,255 
			 Building Safer Communities Fund(21) Islington CDRP412,195 422,500 422,500  
			 Basic Command Unit Fund(22) Islington366,436 366,436 366,436 366,436 
			 Partnership Development Fund Islington  50,000 50,000 
			 Home Office Regional Directors' Allocation (HORDs)(23) London Region1.24m 1.24m 1.24m 1.24m 
			 Safer Stronger Communities Fund (SSCF) (Home Office  Contribution)515,201 
		
	
	(21)In the years 200405 and 200506 the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships received an additional 25,000 for ASB co-ordinator.
	(22)Figures for constituency level
	(23)Figures for London Region, not available for CDRP or constituency
	(24)SSCF brought together a number of HO and ODPM funding streams and was rolled out to all areas for 200607.
	The HO Contribution is made up of the total of the former BSCF, ASB Co-ordinator Grant and Drugs Partnership Support Grant.

Departmental Policies

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to West Lancashire constituency the effects in West Lancashire of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Charles Clarke: The Government have put into place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the constituency.
	Between March 1997 and March 2005 the number of police officers in the Lancashire Police area increased by 339 from 3,247 to 3,586. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 159 CSOs on the streets in the Lancashire Police Service area to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.
	Lancashire Police will receive 187 million in general grants for 200607, an increase of 3.1 per cent. (5.6 million) over the comparable figure for 200506. General grants funding to Lancashire police has increased by 27.3 per cent. between 199798 and 200607. (Figures are not directly comparable, as adjustments to pay for NCS and NCIS centrally, and the transfer of pensions and security funding from general grant to specific in 200607 have reduced General Grant for Lancashire Police Authority compared with 1997). In addition to general grants, Lancashire police will also receive an estimated 33.8 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 200607. Lancashire will also gain 0.6 million from the Amending Reports for 200405 and 200506. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a 340 million intervention programme running for three years from April 1999.
	Figures are not available for constituency or local level. In West Lancashire a total of 14 antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been issued. (The latest figures available).
	
		Table 1: Number of offences recorded1997(25)
		
			  1997 
		
		
			 West Lancashire CDRP  
			 Domestic burglary n/a 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 
			   
			 Lancashire police force area  
			 Domestic burglary 14,833 
			 Theft of a vehicle 8,160 
			 Theft from a vehicle 18,993 
		
	
	n/anot available.
	(25)The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	
		Table 2: Number of offences recorded199899 to 200102(26)
		
			  199899(27) 19992000(28) 200001 200102 
		
		
			 West Lancashire CDRP   
			 Domestic burglary n/a 422 383 591 
			 Theft of a vehicle n/a 598 546 577 
			 Theft from a vehicle n/a 681 706 872 
			 Lancashire police force area  
			 Domestic burglary 12,186 10,561 10,643 12,102 
			 Theft of a vehicle 7,350 6,504 6,151 6,154 
			 Theft from a vehicle 16,122 14,308 14,202 14,861 
		
	
	n/anot available.
	(26)The data in this table is prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years.
	(27)The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 199899. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997.
	(28)Recorded crime figures for CDRPs were collected for the first time for the 12 months to March 2000.
	
		Table 3: Number of offences recorded200203 to 200405(29)
		
			 Offence 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 West Lancashire CDRP
			 Domestic burglary 550 469 327 
			 Theft of a vehicle 459 514 376 
			 Theft from a vehicle 731 787 659 
			 
			 Lancashire police force area 
			 Domestic burglary 9,513 8,821 6,695 
			 Theft of a vehicle 5,585 5,231 4,514 
			 Theft from a vehicle 13,289 11,468 10,822 
		
	
	(29)The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	
		
		
			 Scheme Area 200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 200607 
		
		
			 Small Retailers in Deprived Areas North West total CDRP 470,667 941,211 942,205
			 Communities against drugs West Lancashire CDRP 85,500 85,500 
			 Safer Communities Initiative West Lancashire CDRP  26,876 
			 Building Safer Communities Fund(30) West Lancashire CDRP   116,412 119,323 119,323  
			 Basic Command Unit Fund(31) West Lancashire   199,837 199,837 199,837 199,837 
			 Partnership Development Fund West Lancashire CDRP 1,800,000 1,970,000 
			 Home Office Regional Directors' Allocation (HORDs)(32) North West Region   1,164,100 1,164,100 1,164,100 1,164,100 
			 Safer Stronger Communities Fund (SSCF) (Home Office Contribution) West Lancashire CDRP  1,878,673 
		
	
	(30)In the years 200405 and 200506 the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships received an additional 25,000 for ASB co-ordinator
	(31)Figures for constituency level
	(32)Figures for North West Region, not available for CDRP or constituency
	(33)SSCF brought together a number of HO and ODPM funding streams and was rolled out to all areas for 200607.
	The HO Contribution is made up of the total of the former BSCF, ASB Co-ordinator Grant and Drugs Partnership Support Grant.

Departmental Expenditure

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by his Department on refreshments in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: Costs for refreshments and working lunches are combined and the total since 1997 is provided in the following table. Refreshments and working lunches are offered as courtesy to visitors or to facilitate the efficient management of meetings. The rise in expenditure reflects an increase in training courses and implementation of new policies and systems. Overall expenditure for 1998 was artificially reduced by a one-off VAT credit.
	
		
			  Working lunches 
		
		
			 1997 346,685 
			 1998 92,916 
			 1999 457,147 
			 2000 511,610 
			 2001 572,279 
			 2002 727,354 
			 2003 1,330,997 
			 2004 1,047,330

Departmental Fuel Efficiency

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken in the last 12 months to make his Department more fuel efficient.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office is committed to achieving the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate energy targets; namely to reduce absolute carbon, from fuel and electricity used in buildings on our estate, by 12.5 per cent. by 201011, relative to 19992000 and to increase the energy efficiency of the buildings on our estate, measured in terms of kWh of fuel and electricity use per square metre of buildings floor area by 15 per cent. over the same period. To meet these targets the Department is benchmarking key office sites to identify those buildings which are high energy users.
	The contract at our London HQ building at 2Marsham street requires our PFI partner to operate the building at 10 per cent. below the best practice benchmark contained in the Government's Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme Energy Use in Offices Guide.
	In 200506 the Prison Service funded a number of energy saving projects with a total value of 512,760. Work included extension of building management systems at the following establishments; Askham Grange, Belmarsh, Castington, Coldingley, Lewes and Preston. Automatic lighting controls were installed at Belmarsh, Brockhill, Cardiff, Hewell Grange, Parkhurst and Swansea.
	A number of business groups on the core office estate have undertaken awareness raising programmes on energy conservation and improving energy efficiency. Specific actions have been taken by local property centre managers including replacement of lighting with energy efficient bulbs in large office buildings; reducing the number of lighting units required; and requiring security personnel to ensure lights are switched off when they conduct their evening patrols.
	Overall, the Department has achieved an 11 per cent. reduction in total energy consumption since the baseline year.

Departmental Tendering Policy

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on including (a) ethical and (b) environmental factors in tenders for services.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office expects to let all its contracts in accordance with ethical principles and would consider any case where evidence to the contrary was presented. There is published internal guidance on principles of ethical behaviour in procurement, which all staff engaged in tendering for services and other contracts must follow.
	Under EU procurement rules there is scope to incorporate requirements covering sustainable development and environmental factors, such as Green production methods, into specifications. Award criteria may include environmental characteristics if linked to the subject matter of the contract.
	In contracts let by the Department, environmental factors are considered on a case by case basis relative to the subject matter of the contract, and the requirements of EU law. The Department will consider the use of the Sustainable Procurement Toolkit due to be issued by DEFRA which will aid the consideration of environmental factors in public sector tenders for services.

Departmental Vehicles

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars are (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department; what models the cars are; what type of petrol each model requires; and what the fuel efficiency is of each model.

Charles Clarke: The total number of cars owned or leased by the Department as at the end of February 2006 was:
	
		
			  Total owned Total leased 
		
		
			 Diesel 384 39 
			 Petrol 2 4 
			 MPG range 2259 854.30 
		
	
	Full details of make, model and fuel efficiency are shown in the following table.
	
		Table A: Cars owned by the Department
		
			Make   Model  Fuel type Combined imperial MPG 
		
		
			  Audi A4 Avant 1.9TDI SE Diesel 48 
			  Citroen Berlingo1.9D van Diesel 37 
			  Citroen Berlingo Van 2.0 Lx Diesel 37 
			  Citroen C51.6HDI LX H/Back Diesel 52.3 
			  Citroen Dispatch Van 2.0HDI Diesel 37 
			  Citroen Relay LWB Van 2.2HDI Diesel 25 
			 2x Ford Cmax 1.6TDCI LX Diesel 59 
			 32x Ford Focus 1.6TDCI LX Diesel 59 
			 6x Ford Focus 1.6TDCI LX 90 Diesel 59 
			 13x Ford Focus 1.6TDCI LX5dr Diesel 59 
			  Ford Focus 1.6TDCI LX Est Diesel 59 
			 5x Ford Focus 1.6TDCI LX H/B Diesel 59 
			 6x Ford Focus 1.8TDCI Diesel 51.4 
			 5x Ford Focus 1.8TDCI 100 LX Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDCI LX 115 Diesel 51.4 
			 8x Ford Focus 1.8TDCI LX Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDCI LX 5dr Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDCI LX H/B Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDI 90 LX Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDI LX 4dr Diesel 51.4 
			 3x Ford Focus4dr SAL 1.8TD Diesel 51.4 
			  Ford Focus 5dr 1.8TDI 90 LX Diesel 51.4 
			 44x Ford Galaxy 1. 9 TD LX Diesel 42.8 
			  Ford Galaxy 1. 9 DTI 115PS Diesel 42.8 
			 4x Ford GALAXY 1.9 LX Five door Diesel 42.8 
			  Ford Galaxy 1. 9 LX Est Diesel 42.8 
			 3x Ford Galaxy 1 .9 TD LX MPV Diesel 42.8 
			 3x Ford Galaxy 1. 9 TDI Diesel 42.8 
			 9x Ford Galaxy 1. 9 TDI 115PS Diesel 42.8 
			 24x Ford Galaxy 1.9 TDI LX Diesel 42.8 
			 2x Ford Galaxy 1.9 LX Diesel 42.8 
			 3x Ford Galaxy 1.9TDCI LX Diesel 42.8 
			 3x Ford Galaxy 1.9TDXI LX Diesel 42.8 
			 3x Ford Mondeo 2.0 Est LX Diesel 48 
			  Ford Mondeo 2.0 Ghia H/B Diesel 48 
			 6x Ford Mondeo 2.0 LX TDCI Diesel 48 
			  Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 115 Diesel 48 
			  Ford Mondeo 2.0LXTDCI 115 Diesel 48 
			  Ford Mondeo TDCI 115 LXE Diesel 48 
			  Ford Mondeo 5dr Estate Diesel 48 
			 2x Ford Tourneo 2.0TDCI GLX Diesel 45 
			 2x Ford Tourneo GLX 8 seats Diesel 45 
			  Ford Tourneo Minibus Diesel 45 
			 2x Ford Transit Tourneo 8STS Diesel 45 
			  Ford Transit 2.0 SWB eight GL Diesel 25 
			  Ford Transit 2.0SWB Van Diesel 25 
			  Ford Transit Connect Van Diesel 25 
			 4x Ford Transit Dog Van Diesel 25 
			  Honda Civic 1.7 CDTI 3dr HB Diesel 48 
			  Land Rover Discovery 2.5 TDI Gs Diesel 25 
			  Mercedes Sprinter Van Diesel 22 
			 2x Mercedes Traveliner Mini Bus Diesel 25 
			  Mercedes Traveliner TL72.21 Diesel 25 
			 2x Mercedes Vito 2.0 Van Diesel 25 
			  Mercedes Vito 2.2 108 CDI Van Diesel 25 
			  Mitsubishi Shogun LWB 3.2 Diesel 25 
			  Nissan Terrano 2.7 DTI S ES Diesel 25 
			 2x Peugeot 3071.6HDI S90 Diesel 54.3 
			  Peugeot 3071.6HDI S 5dr HB Diesel 54.3 
			 2x Peugeot 307 2.0 DTI Diesel 54.3 
			  Peugeot 307 2.0 HDI 90 ESTAT Diesel 54.3 
			  Peugeot 307 2.0 HDI LX Diesel 54.3 
			 3x Peugeot 307 2.0 HDIS Diesel 54.3 
			 3x Peugeot 307 2.0 HDIS 90 Diesel 54.3 
			  Peugeot 307 2.0 S HDI 90BHO Diesel 54.3 
			 2x Peugeot 307 2.0 HDI Style HB Diesel 54.3 
			  Peugeot 307 3dr Hatchback Diesel 54.3 
			 2x Peugeot 307 5dr Hatch 2.0 S Diesel 54.3 
			 2x Peugeot 406 2.0 3dr ESTAT Diesel 45 
			  Peugeot 407 S 1.6HDI 4dr SAL Diesel 49.6 
			 3x Renault Laguna 1.9DCI 100A Diesel 48 
			  Renault Laguna 1.9DCII100 Diesel 48 
			 10x Renault Megan Secenic 1.9 DC Diesel 50 
			  Renault Scenic 1.9 DCI 120 Diesel 50 
			  Renault Scenic Express 1.9DCI Diesel 50 
			  Rover 45 2.0TD Club 5dr Diesel 52 
			  Rover Mg 45 2.0 IL TDI Diesel 52 
			  Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI 90 Diesel 53.3 
			  Skoda Octavia 1.9D Elegance Diesel 53.3 
			  Skoda Octavia 1.9TDI EST Diesel 53.3 
			 2x Toyota Avensis 2.0 D4D Diesel 48 
			 3x Toyota Avensis 2.0 D4D T2 Diesel 48 
			  Toyota Avensis 2.0d4D T2 HB Diesel 48 
			  Toyota Avensis Tourer 2.0 Diesel 48 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.6Ils Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.61 Envoy Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra1.7CDTI 16V Diesel 40 
			 2x Vauxhall Astra1.7CDTI LS Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.7 DTI Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.7 DTI 1 6 Ls Diesel 40 
			 6x Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI 16 V Diesel 40 
			 4x Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI 16VLS Diesel 40 
			 3x Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI LS Diesel 40 
			 4x Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI LS HB Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.7DTI RNVOY Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra1.7STI LS 5dr Diesel 40 
			 3x Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTI 16V LS Diesel 40 
			 2x Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTI 5dr Diesel 40 
			 2x Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTI CLUB Diesel 40 
			 2x Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTI H/B Diesel 40 
			 12x Vauxhall Astra 1.7CDTI LIFE Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.9CDTi Hatch Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra Estate 1.7 Diesel 40 
			  Vauxhall Astra van 1.7DTI LS Diesel 48 
			 3x Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTI DESIG Diesel 55 
			 2x Vauxhall Movano van 2.5 TDI Diesel 25 
			  Vauxhall Vectra Petrol 35 
			  Vauxhall Vectra Diesel 35 
			  Vauxhall Vectra 1. 8 Ls5dr HB Petrol 35 
			 2x Vauxhall Vectra 1.9CDT H/Back Diesel 48 
			 2x Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DTI 16V L Diesel 48 
			 2x Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DTI LS Diesel 48 
			  Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DTI LS 4D Diesel 48 
			  Vauxhall Vectra 2.0DTI Diesel 48 
			  Vauxhall Zafira1.9CDTI LIFE Diesel 46.3 
			  Volvo S80 2.4 D5 SE Auto Diesel 36.7 
			 2x VW Bora 1. 9 S TDI Diesel 48 
			  VW Bora 4dr 1.9 S TDI Diesel 48 
			  VW Caravelle Variant Diesel 30 
			 9x VW Golf 1.9 ESDI Diesel 53 
			 6x VW Golf 1.9ESDI 5dr Diesel 53 
			  VW Golf 1.9TDIS Diesel 53 
			  VW Golf 1.9 TDI S EU4 Diesel 53 
			  VW Golf 1.9E SDI H/B Diesel 53 
			  VW Golf 1.9 SE TDI Diesel 53 
			 3x VW Golf 1.9TDI S 5 door Diesel 53 
			  VW Passat 1.9 SE TD Diesel 47 
			  VW Polo 1.9 E SDI SAL Diesel 55 
			  VW Polo 1.9E SDI 5dr Diesel 55 
			 2x VW Transporter 7+1 Seats Diesel 45 
			 8x VW Transporter Shuttle Diesel 45 
		
	
	
		Table B: cars leased by the Department
		
			Make   Model  Fuel type Combined Imperial MPG 
		
		
			  BMW E39 530DA SE Saloon Auto Diesel 34.00 
			  Citroen C8 2.0HDI LX MPV Diesel 48.00 
			  Citroen Relay 18 2.2 HDI HI Roof Van Diesel 25.00 
			 9x Citroen Xantia 2.0 HDI LX Estate Diesel 53.30 
			 2x Citroen Xsara 2.0HDI Desire Estate Diesel 51.40 
			  Ford Escort 1.8D 75 Van Diesel 0.00 
			  Ford Fiesta 35 Car Derived Van Petrol 45.00 
			  Ford Fiesta 35 Car Derived Van Diesel 45.00 
			  Ford Focus 1.8TDCI LX 5dr Hatch Diesel 51.40 
			  Ford Galaxy 2.3i Ghia Automatic Petrol 25.70 
			  Ford Ranger 2.5TD Regular Cab Diesel 25.00 
			 2x Ford Transit 2.4TDI 350l HR Panel Van Diesel 25.00 
			 23x Ford Transit 2.5 TD SWB 9minibus Diesel 25.00 
			  Honda ST1300 Police Motorcycle Diesel 0.00 
			  Land Rover Discovery TD5 ES 5dr Estate Diesel 30.10 
			  Land Rover Discovery TD5 GS 5dr Diesel 25.00 
			  Mercedes Benz 111KA 3200 Van Diesel 25.00 
			 2x Mercedes Special Mobile Unit Diesel 8.00 
			  Mercedes-Benz Viito112CDI Diesel 25.00 
			  Mitsubishi L200 2.5TD4WD GL D/Cab Pickup Diesel 25.00 
			  Nissan Primera 2.0 S 4dr Saloon Petrol 35.00 
			  Peugeot 306 Meridian 2.0 HDI 5dr Estate Diesel 54.30 
			  Renault Espace Expression 2.2DI Estate Diesel 39.80 
			  Vauxhall Astra 1.7 DTI LS Estate Diesel 50.00 
			  Vauxhall Omega 2.0 GLS Petrol 25.00 
			 2x Volvo 184SE D5 2.4 4dr Saloon Auto Diesel 32.80 
			  Volvo Fl6E PL3 18T Box Van Diesel 12.00 
			 2x Volvo S80 2.4D5SE Auto 4dr Saloon Diesel 36.70 
			  Volvo V70 T5 2.3 Estate Police Spec Auto Petrol 26.20

DNA Databases

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likelihood of chance matches of DNA samples from degraded or limited samples; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The National DNA Database (NDNAD) currently uses SGM Plus profiling technology which tests for 10 areas of DNA (known as short tandem repeats or STRS) at each of which there are two markers (i.e. a total of 20 markers). The Government have every confidence in the SGM Plus profiling system but recognises that it should keep its reliability and level of discrimination under review.
	The NDNAD contains the profiles of over 3 million individuals. We are not aware of any chance match between two full SGM Plus profiles for unrelated individuals having been obtained to date. However, as the size of the NDNAD grows and as more international comparisons are made with other countries' DNA profiles, the probability, although remaining very small, will increase.
	Subject samples taken from persons on arrest are very unlikely to be degraded or limited in quantity. The probability of a chance match between full SGM Plus profiles from samples from two unrelated subjects is less than one in a thousand million. If the subjects are related, the likelihood of a match by chance is higher; for siblings it is of the order of one in 10,000.
	Approximately half of all crime scene samples yield a partial profile i.e. a profile with less than 10 STR areas. This is because the DNA collected at crime scenes is either limited in quantity or degraded. Developments inDNA technology now allow DNA profiles to be obtained from small amounts of DNA although these may often prove to be partial profiles. The probability of a chance match of a partial crime scene sample profile with a profile from someone other than the true offender will vary, depending on how many markers are present in the partial crime scene profile and whether the innocent person involved in the chance match is related to the offender.
	Recent research studies by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) and the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) have demonstrated that the success rate for analysis of degraded samples (which yield partial profiles) improved by using recently developed tests for markers based on shorter lengths of DNA (mini STRs).
	The international scientific community have agreed that the best way forward would be to develop a new test system using 13 or 16 STR areas, including some mini STRs. This would also need to take account of the divergent requirements of the different European countries. The time scale for the development and introduction of a new test system would be a commercial decision by the companies that make the new test system and it is estimated that this development could take around two years. Home Office officials are actively involved in taking forward this work which will help in obtaining fuller profiles from limited or degraded samples, hence reducing the probability of chance matches occurring.

Drug Users (Illegal Income)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average annual illegal income of arrested (a) heroin and (b) crack users.

Charles Clarke: We do not have the information requested.
	However some information on illegal income among arrested drug users in a sample of 16 custody suites is provided in research published by the Home Office in 2004 from the New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Programme (NEW ADAM). The report of the survey is available on the Home Office website (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/rdsolr1904.pdf)

Easter Celebrations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of Easter celebrations in prisons in England and Wales in 2006.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison ServicePublic Sector Prisonsdoes not routinely capture the costs of celebrating religious festivals. An answer to this question could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Equal Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure that women in his Department receive equal pay for work of equal value.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office has since 2003 undertaken regular equal pay audits of its pay systems. These audits are undertaken on an annual basis following the implementation of pay awards. In addition, a more comprehensive equality proofing exercise of reward policies and practices are undertaken every three years. The findings of the equal pay audits and equality proofing exercises are shared with employee representatives. Where there are any equal pay concerns or issues, these are addressed through an equal action plan which in turn provides a direct input into the normal pay determination process with employee representatives.

EU Nationals

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of nationals of the new EU member states who (a) have worked in the UK since 1 May 2004 for periods of less than 28 days and (b) have spent some time working in the UK since 1 May 2004 and have subsequently left the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: All European economic area (EEA) nationals have a right of free movement and residence in the United Kingdom. Accession state nationals are not subject to immigration control, and if they are working for less than 30 days, have no requirement to register with the workers registration scheme (WRS). As such there are no reliable estimates of the numbers of accession state nationals who have worked for less than 28 days.
	The WRS does not measure net migration (inflows minus outflows). Rather, it gives gross figures for the number of workers applying to the scheme. An individual who has registered to work and who leaves employment is not required to de-register, so some of those counted will have left employment and some are likely to have left the UK.

Extradition Act

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether applications to extradite British citizens to the United States under the terms of the Extradition Act 2003 are required to be accompanied by prima facie evidence.

Andy Burnham: Under the Extradition Act 2003, and the Extradition Act 2003 (Designation of Part two Territories) Order 2003, extradition requests by the United States are not required to be accompanied by prima facie evidence. Instead, requests from the US are required to show information that would justify the issue of a warrant for the arrest of the person concerned. There is no distinction in the Extradition Act 2003 nor in its predecessor legislation between British citizens and those of other nationalities.

Family Deportations

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many families with children detained as a family unit in centres were removed fromthe UK (a) as a family unit and (b) with some family members on different flights in (i) 2005 and (ii)2006;
	(2)  in how many cases where a family with children was detained some family members were removed from the UK and others remained in the UK in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006.

Tony McNulty: IND does not have a central record of the number of people detained and removed from the UK as part of a family unit. However, given the sensitive nature of family cases, all family removals are handled carefully. Since 23 November 2005, the Immigration Service has sought ministerial authority on every case when the removal of a family or individuals would result in a family unit being separated. Since that date we have sought ministerial authority on five occasions.

Human Trafficking

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources of his Department have been allocated to combat human trafficking.

Paul Goggins: In March 2000 a multi-agency Government taskforce 'Reflex', chaired by the National Crime Squad, was set up to deal with organised immigration crime. Its remit is to co-ordinate the enforcement response to such issues, both nationally and internationally, and to develop the intelligence and strategic planning to underpin this. Reflex continues to receive an annual allocation of 20 million from the Home Office.
	Also in March 2003 a Home Office-funded pilot scheme was launched in partnership with Eaves Housing for Women (the POPPY scheme) to provide safe accommodation and tailored one-to-one support for adult female victims who have been trafficked into the UK and into prostitution. The POPPY scheme was established as a small-scale pilot project and has recently been formally evaluated. On the basis of the positive evaluation findings, Ministers announced on 7 April 2006 additional funding of 2.4 million over two years to expand the excellent service provided through the POPPY scheme.

MI5 (Northern Ireland)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many informers made redundant by the Police Service Northern Ireland since its creation have been recruited by MI5.

Charles Clarke: It is the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to comment on the operational activities of the Security Service.

MI5 (Northern Ireland)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure the sharing of information between MI5 and the Police Service Northern Ireland; and what recent steps he has taken to test these arrangements.

Charles Clarke: Information is routinely shared between the Security Service and Police Service Northern Ireland at all levels. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I are satisfied that the information sharing arrangements work well and will continue to do so.

Nabeel Sami Fathallah

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much in benefits has been granted to Mr. Nabeel Sami Fathallah (HO Ref 10776940) since his arrival in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Information relating to an individual is not routinely disclosed.

Northamptonshire Police Force

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide additional funding to bring the per capita spending for Northamptonshire police force up to the national average.

Hazel Blears: Government funding for police authorities is chiefly allocated using a funding formula that distributes resources on the basis of relative policing need. Damping is also applied to improve stability of funding by reducing year-on-year grant variations. Grant is not, and never has been, distributed purely on a per capita basis.
	Northamptonshire police authority will receive its fair share of resources next year. Its 3.1 per cent. (+2.1 million) increase in general grant is in line with the broadly flat rate increase of 3.1 per cent. for all police authorities in England and Wales. If the funding formula had been strictly applied, Northamptonshire would have received 0.8 million less. On top of general grant a range of other funding will also be available, including 1.9 million in special formula grant, a consolidation of four former specific grants that will enable the authority to operate more flexibly, and an estimated 7.7 million in specific grants and capital provision.

O'Connor Report

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish a national policing agency dedicated to countering terrorism and domestic extremism to address the findings in these areas of the O'Connor report.

Charles Clarke: Regional and national CT structures are already in place. The Association of Chief Police Officers' Committee on Terrorism and Allied Matters sets policy and strategic direction for counter-terrorism policing at a national level. Police counter-terrorist efforts are co-ordinated regionally and nationally through the regional intelligence cells, the work of the national co-ordinator of special branch and the national co-ordinator of terrorist investigations while ensuring that force special branches maintain the essential link to local policing and local communities. The Metropolitan Police Service has national counter-terrorism responsibilities including a number of specialist units which provide support to forces. As with other aspects of policing, these structures are kept under constant review.

Omagh Bombing

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek the resignation of (a) the head of MI5 and (b) members of her staff in connection with the Omagh bombing.

Charles Clarke: No.

Operation Trident

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has Operation Trident cost.

Hazel Blears: Expenditure allocated to specific enforcement operations in the Metropolitan Police Service is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
	The MPA will receive 1,818 million in general grant next year, an increase of 3.1 per cent. (54.7 million) over the comparable figure for 200506. This is in line with the broadly flat rate increase of 3.1 per cent. for all police authorities in England and Wales. The MPA also gains 5.3 million from amending reports for 200405 and 200506 bringing the overall increase in general grant in 200607 to 3.4 per cent. In addition to this, it will receive 54.7 million in special formula grant, a consolidation of four former specific grants, as well as a range of other funding in specific grants, capital provision and to tackle terrorism.

Passports

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide premises in Argyll and Bute, which first time passport applicants can attend for their interview.

Andy Burnham: I have placed a document in the Library setting out the planned provision for such interviews throughout the United Kingdom.

Passports

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the costs of replacing lost or damaged biometric chips in passports and ID cards; who will be responsible for these costs; and from what sources funding will be drawn.

Andy Burnham: The current policy for replacing lost or damaged passports is that the customer makes a fresh application and pays the full cost for renewing the passport unless the document was clearly faulty at issue, there are no plans to change this policy for biometric passports. Every biometric passport goes through a vigorous quality assurance process before issuing to the public which ensures the passport reaches the public in full working order. Broadly comparable arrangements will be put in place for identity cards in due course.

Police Restructuring

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much he has spent on consultants' fees in evaluating the costs of the reorganisation of police forces; and which consultants he has engaged for this work.

Hazel Blears: Consultants from a number of organisations have been employed to assist in the process of assessing the financial case for change, including:
	Deloitte
	Avail (Tribal Vale)
	Ernst and Young
	KPMG
	Accenture
	IBM
	Mott MacDonald
	Methods-Walker-Cox
	Mentis
	Due to the ongoing nature of this work, as some of the consultants are still working on this project, it would be premature to disclose costs at this stage.

Police Restructuring

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role his Department will play in the appointment of members of the new merged Yorkshire police authority.

Charles Clarke: We envisage that any order made under section 32 of the Police Act 1996 amalgamating the Humberside, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire police areas would provide for each of the four precursor police authorities to appoint a specified number of their members to be members of the combined police authority. As such, there would be no role for the Home Secretary. The precise terms of the order are the subject of ongoing discussions with the police authorities concerned. The making of such an order is subject to our consideration of any objections received in response to the notice given by the Home Secretary of his intention to amalgamate the four forces.

Police Restructuring

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism the Government will adopt to equalise the council tax precepts in Wales to take into account the proposed merger of the four Welsh police forces.

Hazel Blears: The financial implications of amalgamating different levels of council tax precept remain under consideration. No final decisions have yet been taken.

Prisons

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of which of the projected prison population scenarios outlined in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/05 is most likely to occur; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Figures for 10 scenarios can be found in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/05 Updated and Revised Prison Population Projections, 20052011, England and Wales. Of the 10 published scenarios, scenario one has been the closest to the observed total prison population over the 11 months since the projections were made. NOMS and HMPS continually monitor the prison population against the projections. In the longer term, it is more difficult to predict which scenarios may be closer to actual prison populations.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact on the (a) mental and (b) physical health of prisoners of too few hours of purposeful activity and too many hours of incarceration in cells.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Prison Service makes every effort to ensure that as much purposeful activity as possible is available to prisoners and the additional workshops that are coming on stream in establishments are one example of increasing levels of activity hours available to prisoners.
	Purposeful activity in prisons consists broadly of education, work and resettlement activity. Specific activities include basic skills and vocational education, workshop activity, tackling substance abuse, offending behaviour programmes and pre release training. These activities reflect the work that is taking place in establishments to rehabilitate prisoners and prepare them for release.
	There is currently little information about the impact of imprisonment on people with mental health problems. The National Forensic Mental Health RD Programme is currently funding a research project on factors mediating the effect of prison on mental health. This is due for completion in summer 2008. Further details are available on the programme's website at http://www.nfmhp.org.uk.
	On physical health, the National Audit Office (NAO) report Serving Time: Prisoner Diet and exercise (HC939) found that prisons met their statutory obligations to provide opportunities for exercise, and that prisoners' average level of physical exercise is close to the number of hours recommended by the Chief Medical Officer. A copy of the report is available in the Library, and on the NAO website at http://www.nao.org. uk/publications/nao_reports/0506/0506939.pdf.

Prisons

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) running costs of each establishment in the Prison Service and (b) average number of people held at that establishment (i) was in 200506 and (ii) is expected to be in 200607.

Fiona Mactaggart: The average population and respective provisional resource costs for prisons in England and Wales in 200506 is shown in the following table. Final figures will be included in the Prison Service annual report and accounts which will be published in July 2006. The Prison Service is unable to give an indication of costs for 200607 at this stage. Costs for contracted prisons are commercial in confidence and therefore not included.
	
		Average England and Wales prison population and provisional resource costs in 200506
		
			  Average prison population by establishment England and Wales1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 Provisional resource costs for 200506 
		
		
			 Acklington 856 15,467,337 
			 Albany 523 12,221,048 
			 Altcourse 958  
			 Ashfield 330  
			 Ashwell 540 10,981,699 
			 Askham Grange 107 3,516,195 
			 Aylesbury 424 14,108,954 
			 Bedford 468 11,175,655 
			 Belmarsh 907 38,376,251 
			 Birmingham 1,413 30,511,106 
			 Blakenhurst 1,045 19,292,151 
			 Blantyre House 117 2,842,417 
			 Blundestone 458 11,623,496 
			 Brinsford 459 17,170,038 
			 Bristol 597 18,186,073 
			 Brixton 800 22,515,326 
			 Brockhill 127 6,359,239 
			 Bronzefield 420  
			 Buckley Hall 233 8,877,159 
			 Bullingdon 959 21,185,406 
			 Bullwood Hall 146 7,867,683 
			 Camp Hill 585 12,600,325 
			 Canterbury 302 7,207,344 
			 Cardiff 739 17,412,508 
			 Castington 363 14,034,042 
			 Channings Wood 655 14,212,356 
			 Chelmsford 576 15,910,565 
			 Coldingley 387 9,332,096 
			 Cookham Wood 170 6,417,139 
			 Dartmoor 612 15,927,470 
			 Deerbolt 393 13,637,220 
			 Doncaster 1,071  
			 Dorchester 243 7,041,501 
			 Dovegate 810  
			 Dover 284 9,215,882 
			 Downview 273 10,221,287 
			 Drake Hall 276 8,053,065 
			 Durham 760 21,666,069 
			 East Sutton Park 95 2,349,408 
			 Eastwood Park 287 10,932,963 
			 Edmunds Hill 236 9,242,349 
			 Elmley 981 17,883,273 
			 Erlestoke 422 9,300,057 
			 Everthorpe 594 12,297,725 
			 Exeter 513 13,218,685 
			 Featherstone 607 13,996,463 
			 Feltham 615 34,767,160 
			 Ford 510 7,616,383 
			 Forest Bank 1,021  
			 Foston Hall 228 8,501,991 
			 Frankland 706 34,774,004 
			 Full Sutton 588 27,578,346 
			 Garth 645 16,672,488 
			 Gartree 467 14,314,727 
			 Glen Parva 770 21,764,829 
			 Gloucester 283 8,659,041 
			 Grendon/Spring Hill 528 15,325,508 
			 Guys Marsh 560 10,943,133 
			 Haslar 133 4,752,047 
			 Haverigg 553 12,060,763 
			 Hewell Grange 158 4,355,975 
			 Highdown 736 17,152,274 
			 Highpoint 800 14,614,910 
			 Hindley 400 16,721,512 
			 Hollesley Bay 271 7,856,662 
			 Holloway 435 23,179,875 
			 Holme House 964 21,486,999 
			 Hull 997 21,820,284 
			 Huntercombe 345 15,254,757 
			 Kingston (Portsmouth) 186 6,085,858 
			 Kirkham 490 14,355,912 
			 Kirklevington 220 4,266,047 
			 Lancaster 238 6,809,598 
			 Lancaster Farms 507 16,518,588 
			 Latchmere House 193 3,201,882 
			 Leeds 1,194 26,254,941 
			 Leicester 345 10,870,596 
			 Lewes 526 11,781,360 
			 Leyhill 448 11,648,932 
			 Lincoln 467 14,077,730 
			 Lindholme 803 20,979,888 
			 Littlehey 694 12,963,947 
			 Liverpool 1,324 29,374,453 
			 Long Lartin 440 22,417,024 
			 Low Newton 251 10,449,289 
			 Lowdham Grange 511  
			 Maidstone 549 11,720,212 
			 Manchester 1,233 33,208,103 
			 Moorland Open 231 21,424,188 
			 Moorland 755  
			 Morton Hall 288 8,535,428 
			 New Hall 337 15,711,208 
			 North Sea Camp 275 5,858,898 
			 Northallerton 191 6,147,689 
			 Norwich 775 16,892,085 
			 Nottingham 502 14,080,191 
			 Onley 531 16,047,312 
			 Parc 994  
			 Parkhurst 506 15,482,547 
			 Pentonville 1,162 26,505,196 
			 Peterborough 669  
			 Portland 409 13,089,825 
			 Preston 591 16,592,724 
			 Ranby 1,008 21,604,218 
			 Reading 283 9,201,468 
			 Risley 1,061 19,925,783 
			 Rochester 384 9,576,973 
			 Rye Hill 590  
			 Send 208 6,676,724 
			 Shepton Mallet 183 5,611,671 
			 Shrewsbury 294 8,530,692 
			 Stafford 673 13,746,220 
			 Standford Hill 447 9,330,002 
			 Stocken 612 12,548,544 
			 Stoke Heath 635 19,102,566 
			 Styal 403 14,718,333 
			 Sudbury 548 9,373,744 
			 Swaleside 773 15,960,360 
			 Swansea 406 10,571,345 
			 Swinfen Hall 585 15,617,488 
			 The Mount 706 15,180,196 
			 The Verne 579 10,818,578 
			 The Weare 76 5,366,580 
			 The Wolds 295  
			 Thorn Cross 239 8,693,442 
			 Usk/Prescoed 411 8,833,280 
			 Wakefield 577 25,146,687 
			 Wandsworth 1,438 31,229,830 
			 Warren Hill 204 10,437,376 
			 Wayland 699 12,196,243 
			 Wealstun 788 16,581,028 
			 Wellingborough 566 13,926,999 
			 Werrington 135 7,092,748 
			 Wetherby 333 13,120,810 
			 Whatton 365 11,214,354 
			 Whitemoor 442 29,209,623 
			 Winchester 690 17,052,281 
			 Woodhill 763 29,297,976 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,237 28,687,915 
			 Wymott 1,041 22,387,315 
			 Total 76,411

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) availability and (b) take-up of correspondence courses in prisons in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is not collected centrally. However, the existing prison service and the new Learning and Skills Council development regions do fund distance learning as part of the existing funding arrangements and the learning journey for offendersas appropriate to individuals' needs.

Prisons

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what percentage of prisoners' time in prison was spent on education and training in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what methodology is used to calculate the percentage of prisoners' time in prison spent on education and training.

Fiona Mactaggart: Data in the specific format requested are not available. The proportion of prisoner time undertaking education and training compared with overall purposeful activity is therefore given. According to provisional data for 200506, prisoners spent 25.2 hours per prisoner per week undertaking purposeful activity. Time spent in education and training was 5.1 hours per prisoner per week representing 20.1 per cent. of the total purposeful hours.
	Data relating to purposeful activity is reported on a weekly basis. The weekly purposeful hours figure is based on the total hours prisoners have spent undertaking each of the 30 activities listed as purposeful divided by the average prisoner population and converting to a weekly average. Education and training hours are calculated in the same way based on five education and training activities.

Prisons

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost to public funds was of anger management courses offered to prisoners in the prison service in the last 12 months; and what recent assessment has been made of the efficacy of such courses; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Accredited anger management programmes delivered in prison cost about 1.75 million a year. Other anger management work is undertaken locally for which the costs are not available.
	There has been one evaluation in England and several evaluations internationally examining the efficacy of anger management programmes for offenders. International and UK evidence shows promising but inconclusive results (due to the limited quality of research design) in terms of reducing recidivism.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons which thePrison Inspectorate judged as good overall in the provision of education in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	Of the 14 prisons that have been inspected since April 2005, and who have had an inspection report published by the Adult Learning Inspectorate, one prison, HMP and YOI Usk and Prescoed, has been given an overall effectiveness grade of 'good' for its education provision.

Prisons

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rates are for telephone calls made by prisoners in each prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: The national call rates for British Telecommunications and Global Communications and Consultancy Ltd are identical at 11 pence per minute. Tables detailing international call rates have been placed in the House Library.

Safe Countries

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many countries of the world he has judged to be sufficiently under the rule of law to offer no threat of torture or abuse to their nationals.

Charles Clarke: The Secretary of State for the Home Department does not make assessments about whether foreign countries are sufficiently under the rule of law to offer no threat of torture or abuse to their nationals. As is the case with other Departments, when the Home Department interacts with foreign countries on issues relating to torture and the abuse of their nationals, it proceeds on the basis of case-specific assessments.

Special Branch

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, columns 95455W, on special branch, whether the special branch national training unit referred to in the Special Branch Summary of Responsibilities document of August 2004 has been disbanded.

Hazel Blears: The special branch national training unit has not been disbanded. It is based in the Metropolitan Police Service and provides three national special branch training courses: special branch initial training, the special branch ports course and a course for heads of special branch. In addition, it provides a range of more detailed and specific courses for the Metropolitan police special branch.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the UK are suspected of having attended jihadist terrorist training camps abroad.

Charles Clarke: It is not our policy to comment on operational and intelligence matters.

Travellers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on law enforcement in Travellers' camps.

Hazel Blears: Equal standards of behaviour are expected from both the settled community and the Gypsy and Traveller community, and the police are responsible for the investigation of crime and antisocial behaviour wherever this occurs. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Home Office have jointly published several documents which deal with enforcement against Gypsy and Traveller sites, and a specific document addressing antisocial behaviour will be issued later this year.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the change in the cost of a place in Ashfield young offenders institution between 200304 and 200405.

Fiona Mactaggart: When HMYOI Ashfield opened in 1999 it held both young offenders and juveniles. In February 2004 the establishment was re-roled to hold juveniles only. The increased cost per place since that time is a reflection of the more intensive regime and level of intervention that juveniles receive.